Finding Love Unexpectedly
by jensensgirl
Summary: John finds the love of his life and marries her. Will they live happily ever after?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Vic.

Chapter One: First Impressions

"Beautiful isn't she." Vic asked as he saw his friend staring at the stunning brunette.

"Who is she, Vic?"

They both watched Kimberly as she was working out. "Her name is Kimberly. She's been coming here for a few months. Don't know much else. She moved into the new development near the old saw mill, learned that much from her gym application. Very friendly and sweet, just doesn't divulge much about herself."

"I need to meet her."

"When she's finished she always sits in the sauna for about 10 minutes. Go in there."

_How long is this guy going to stare at _m_e? Why doesn't he just say hello? Do I have to do everything?_

Kimberly finished her reps and headed for the locker room. "Hey Vic, who's your friend?"

"Kimberly, John. John, Kimberly."

She extends her hand, "Nice to meet you, John."

"It's definitely nice to meet you." John said, holding her hand a little longer. _You have the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. I can't take my eyes off you._

"So I guess I'll see you around?"

"I travel a lot, but when I'm back in town I can be found here." _I sound like an idiot. _"I'm on my way to the sauna, want to join me?"

"I was on my way there too, I'll meet you there."_ He is so hot and nice smile too._ T_he dimples are sexy._

John went to the sauna, arriving first and prepping the steam. He lay down on the bench, wearing only his basketball shorts. She walks in wrapped in a towel. "Sorry for the delay, I had to take a phone call from the office." _Wow. His body is amazing. Don't stare. Holy hell I'm in trouble. Don't stare._ "So what do you do that requires a lot of travel?" Kimberly removes her towel to reveal a bikini and lies on the bench next to him.

_Finally a woman who has no clue who I am._ "Um, I'm a wrestler." _And my day just keeps getting better._ Kimberly looked at him still not knowing who he was.

"A professional wrestler."

Kimberly chuckles, "Shut up. Are you serious?"

"For the WWE."

"I haven't watched wrestling since I was in middle school. Oh, no offense, I'm sorry."

"That's ok. It's actually nice to meet someone who doesn't know who I am."

Kimberly smiles demurely. "I guess I'll have to start watching then."

Over the next year they continued seeing each other at the gym. They met for dinners and lunches when he got back to town. They spoke everyday and as often as possible over the phone getting to know one another, many times for hours, building a friendship and an unbreakable bond.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly

Chapter 2: Friends and More

"Hey, baby girl, how's your day?" John asked grateful to talk to her and not her voicemail.

"It's so nice to hear your voice, are you on your way home?" Kimberly sat back in her chair at the office smiling at the sound of his voice.

"I am on a flight to Boston. I have until Sunday off. Where are you?" John said trying to sound calm and not reveal his excitement.

"I'm at the office. Will I see you while you're here?"

"I land in an hour, meet me at the airport? Please?" Hoping she would jump to see him.

"I'll meet you at baggage claim in an hour." They smiled and ended the call; both excited to see the other. Kimberly told her assistant to cancel and reschedule her appointments for the rest of the week, wishing on a star she'd spend it with John. She made a few more calls and hurried out the door. _Why is it so hard to tell him how I feel? Because you don't want to be rejected that's why. He has five days off, please let something happen._

John waited for his luggage but all he could think about was seeing her and spending time with her. He repeatedly looked to the entrance anxious for her arrival. It didn't take long for the fans to find him. How do they know his schedule? How do they know where he'll be and when? Of course if it wasn't for the fans he'd be out of a job. John obliged the group and signed autographs and posed for photos. Kimberly walked in and as if they both could feel each other, their eyes met instantly. Smiling immediately, they both had a hard time not running to one another. John hurriedly finished the autographs and pictures while Kimberly hung back, knowing not to interfere with his public persona. She had to smile watching the excitement on the kid's faces, some teenage girls even cried. She found a pen and small notebook in her bag and joined the group. She waited until the end and walked up to John. "Can I have your autograph too, Mr. Cena?" John grabbed her and hugged her tight.

"You are a beautiful sight for sore eyes, baby girl." John whispered, closing his eyes as he held her close drinking in the smell of her perfume. They stood there clinging to each other with all their feelings bottled up inside; each wishing to say what was in their heart. _I have to tell her how I feel this weekend._

"So are you." Regretfully pulling apart, John gathered his luggage and they headed to her car.

"Do you have plans while you're on a mini vacation?" Kimberly asked as they approached her car.

"I was hoping to spend as much time with you for as long as you'll have me. I need to get back to West Newbury to see the folks at some point. Will you come with me?"

"I cleared my schedule hoping to…spend…time…with you." Kimberly said softly as John loaded his bags in the car. He stopped when she spoke the words he longed to hear hoping she meant what he felt. He turned to face her; they looked into each other's eyes knowing at that moment how the other felt. Time stood still as they slowly moved closer, Kimberly's hands lightly resting on John's hips. Bending his head toward her, he showered her with tender kisses trying to convey exactly how his heart felt. With one last embrace, they got in the car and headed to her condo in the city.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly

Chapter 3: The Sleepover

John and Kimberly spent the evening doing what they normally do on the phone, chatting. They sat on her couch in the living room talking and laughing like they'd always been there together; stealing little kisses here and there. Around midnight they decided to head upstairs to bed; John staying in her guest room. Little did the other know neither could sleep. They both lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Daydreaming of a life with John, Kimberly decides to head to the kitchen for a snack. Daydreaming of a life with Kimberly, John gets up to head down for a sandwich. He walked in to see her standing in front of the freezer wearing only a tank top and boy shorts. "Can't sleep either?" _Oh my god, look at that body, she never fails to entice me._

Kimberly jumps, "You scared the shit out of me." Looking at John's naked chest she notices he's wearing only his boxers. _Look away, look away, and don't stare. _The realization of her attire dawns on her and she blushes. _Too late now to run for a robe. _They both stand there staring at each other, silent; the sexual tension getting thicker and thicker. Kimberly clears her throat, "I couldn't sleep so I was getting some ice cream, you?"

"I came to raid the fridge too." They maneuvered around taking extra precautions not to touch; thus escalating the tension. John got out chocolate syrup and lay down in the middle of the kitchen on his side propping himself up on his elbow. She joined him lying on her tummy. They lay head to head forming an 'L'. John pours syrup into the ice cream container and gets a heaping spoonful. He feeds Kimberly who takes half the spoonful and John eats the rest. They continued like this, in a comfortable silence, until the ice cream was gone. "So, why won't you tell me any details about yourself? We've known each other for a year and I barely know about your family, I know nothing about your job, just that you have an assistant who constantly calls and you travel a lot. You know a lot about me, damn near everything. Are you a spy? Are you in the Witness Protection Program? Is this really your house?" John asked the questions jokingly.

"I own my own business. My Mom lives in Cincinnati, my father passed away when I was 7. I'm not a spy, I'm not in hiding and this is my house."

"What kind of business? Is it legal!"

Kimberly laughed. "Of course it's legal. I own a club downtown." She quickly changed the subject to John visiting his folks. He asked again for the 3rd time that night if she'd go with him. She finally relented.

Wanting to avoid the previous subjects, Kimberly got up and started cleaning the mess they'd made. Taking the hint, John helped her finish and they walked hand in hand upstairs. He kissed her tenderly goodnight for the 2nd time. They both fell asleep, separately, with content smiles hoping and dreaming of what's to come.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Friends and Family

The next morning, John and Kimberly packed their bags and hit the road to stay at her house in Amesbury while visiting his friends and family. He noticed a frown on her face as they drove the 3 hours to West Newbury. "What's wrong, baby girl?" he asked as he reached to hold her hand.

"Do you think it's a little soon to meet your parents?" Kimberly asked nervously as she stared out the window. John chuckled at her nervousness.

"If it were my choice you would have met them months ago. Everyone's going to love you."

For the rest of the ride they held hands in between answering phone calls. John's Mom called three times, his Dad once, excited to meet the girl John's been talking about for months. John's cousin and best friend, Marc called and two of John's four brothers called. Kimberly took numerous calls from her assistant and one from her housekeeper in Amesbury. They pulled into the driveway at John's parent's house to be met by not only his parents but his four brothers, his friends and their girlfriends and Marc, his wife and his sister and brother-in-law. Kimberly was still on the phone with her assistant trying to hang up. Her eyes grew wide as she saw everyone in the front yard. "Holy shit the whole town's here."

John laughed and got out of the car greeting everyone with hugs, handshakes and a kiss for his Mom. Kimberly slowly exited the car giving them a moment and to build her courage. She was still trying to hang up with her assistant as she walked around the car to greet the excited mob. About half of the group stood staring at her as if star struck, jaws hanging open. She finally got her assistant off the phone and John introduced her to his parents and brothers. His Mom, Carol, greeted her with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks and promptly pulled her away and started asking her question after question. John's father watched his son as he looked at Kimberly with nothing but love and adoration in his eyes. You are completely in love with her."

"Is it that obvious?" John Sr laughed and patted his son on the back walking away to join his ex-wife and talk more to the woman who stole his son's heart.

Instantly John was bombarded by the group that was star struck. Marc's wife, Angie, grabbed John shaking him. "John, do you know who she is? I can't believe it's really her!"

"You know her?" John then realized the looks on everyone's faces. "What am I missing?"

"Dude, that's Kimberly Mitchell. The Kimberly Mitchell." Marc claimed just as excited as the others.

"I know her name and I still don't know what I'm missing."

"John, honey, she's only the richest woman in New England." Angie spoke like a proud parent. "She's responsible for saving a lot of farms around here, personally paying off the farmer's bank loans and getting them new equipment. No reason, she just does it. She donates a lot of her money. That's just what the TV and newspapers report, imagine what she does that nobody knows about. I can't believe you have no idea who she is."

"Wow that's a successful club she owns." John said.

"Club?" Angie continued, "try clubs, restaurants, boutiques; we all shop at her stores. You've got quite a lady, John."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly

Chapter 5: Deeper in Love

Over the next several hours, John learned more and more about the woman who kept her private and professional life a secret. Angie and his Mom broke from the group surrounding Kimberly and sat next to John who continued to gaze at Kimberly as if she hung the moon.

"John, she's so down to earth, I mean I thought she'd be nice but she's so laid back and modest. She doesn't act like a celebrity at all. A lot of famous people brag a little, but she's so humble. You would never know she's got more money in her checking account than the value of my house. Wait, how long have you known her? You knew none of this?" Angie said.

Kimberly excused herself to take another call from her assistant. They all gathered around John asking him all kinds of questions he didn't know the answers too. All he knew was he won the love lottery. He knew she wasn't after him for his money and she wasn't after him for his celebrity. Noticing his son looked a bit overwhelmed, John Sr pulled John to the side, "you ok, son?" His mom joined them.

"This is it, Dad. I get it. You go through your entire life thinking you're complete, thinking you're whole, striving to reach your goals. One day you're minding your own business and bam. You lock eyes with the one person God made for you. Everyday after that you figure out you were wrong. You're only one-half of a whole person. Your goals change, your dreams get bigger. She's my other half. I'm looking at my wife." Carol hugged her son with tears in her eyes.

John and Kimberly drove the short drive back to her home later that evening, riding in silence, holding hands.

When they walked in John stopped in the doorway, taking in his surroundings. "Why didn't you tell me?" John asked.

"Tell you what?" Kimberly knew what he meant.

"Why didn't you tell me who you are, who you really are?" John looked a little hurt.

"When we first met I didn't know if you knew who I was. I may not be a Hollywood celebrity, but people know who I am. I wanted you to get to know me. Me, John." Kimberly continued with tears in her eyes. "I wanted you to know who I am outside the TV and newspaper reports, outside the money. I needed to know you didn't care about my bank account or who I can introduce you too." She started to walk away, wiping the tears from her cheeks and eyes. John reached for her stopping her.

"I'm glad you have all you do. I have the same fears. I'm always afraid a girl is only interested in my bank or who they can meet through me. I knew you were incredible before today and what I learned only deepened how I feel." John pulled her close placing his hands on her face. Looking into the eyes he wanted to gaze at for the rest of his life. He tenderly kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, each cheek, arriving at her lips hovering just far enough away to build the desire. Lips barely touching, he draws a desperate moan from her. John moves one hand behind her head gently guiding it back to expose her neck. Kissing the base of her neck they both moan, he drags his lips up her neck, nuzzling her ear. He whispered, "I love you…so much." He felt her shudder and more tears rolled down her cheeks. They looked into each other's eyes and kissed with a passionate force; expressing all the penned up emotion of the past months. Tongues dancing an intimate dance, tasting each other; hands caressing, grabbing, clinging to the other, desperate to freeze this moment. "I want to make love to you." Kimberly broke the kiss pushing John away. Both panting, they looked intently at each other. Kimberly backed up, her eyes never leaving John's. She licked her swollen lips, turned and walked up the stairs. When she reached the top, she looked at John signaling for him to follow. He took a deep breath relieved he wasn't being rejected. He followed her up the steps to her bedroom.

At the top he looked to his left to see her leaning against one of the four posters on her bed. She had an expression on her face that was a mixture of nervousness and love. Kimberly whispered, "I love you too." Her eyes instantly filled with tears.

John walked to her having a hard time controlling his breathing, his body trembling slightly, his emotions brimming to the top. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life loving her, protecting her, sheltering her, enjoying her. He kissed her lovingly waiting for her to soften and relax. When he felt her begin to melt, he slid his tongue into her mouth deepening the kiss. John unbuttoned her shirt and kissed her shoulders as he pulled her shirt away. He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He continued to kiss her neck and shoulders as his hands moved to unbuckle her belt and remove her pants. John ran his hands down her thighs as he pushed her pants to the floor. His mouth resting on her lower back, he kissed and licked her as his hands followed the same path back up resting on her hips. Kimberly turned around pulling John to his feet. She unbuttoned his shirt kissing his body each time she freed a button. When she got to the last button she licked her way back up to chest. Placing delicate kisses on his neck and throat, Kimberly felt John's body shiver under her touch. He looked around and saw candles everywhere. He needed to break the spell before he exploded so he asked her for a lighter. Kimberly asked him to start a fire and everything he needed was right there. As he did this, she began lighting the candles. He felt her eyes on him and turned to see her walking to him. John held out his hand and she walked into his embrace. He picked her up and placed her on his hips so she sat facing him, her legs wrapped around his waste. He knelt down and leaned forward gently laying her in front of the fire. John lay between her legs, stroking her face and neck, "you are so beautiful and I am so in love with you. I've been waiting for this moment since the day we met; to lay with you, touch you, feel you, and make love to you." Kimberly couldn't believe this was finally happening. The way he touched her and looked at her made all her inhibitions fall away. She didn't feel shy or insecure, for the first time in her life she felt beautiful. She knew she could trust John and believe him. They took their time and learned about each other intimately; enjoying the moments they were sharing.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Stephan

Chapter 6: Introductions

The next morning Kimberly's house was its usual bustling hub. Her housekeeper began her routine of managing Kimberly's properties; taking care of gardeners, pool care, etc. John, not knowing there would be a few people in the house, went into the kitchen to make breakfast. Her assistant entered to find John cooking in his boxers. He let out a squeal and thanked the heavens for the semi naked man standing before him. "Queer eye for the straight guy."

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" John practically yelled.

"I, you beautiful man, am Kimberly's personal assistant, Stephan." He extends his hand in a dainty manner as he blatantly looks John up and down.

"Well, Stephan, it's nice to finally meet you." John said shaking Stephan's hand in a very manly manner, noticing he looked like an Elton John clone from the 70s.

Stephan gasped, realizing who he was admiring. "You're John. She is a lucky, lucky girl. I was hoping to have you all to myself. And where is my little angel this morning?" Still not taking his eyes from John.

"I'm right here, Stephan, and just to remind you, I saw him first." Kimberly giggled and jumped into John's arms raining kisses all over his face. "Mmmm, morning, handsome."

"Morning, my beautiful girl." They continued kissing and as the sexual heat grew hotter, the kisses deepened.

"You two are gross, yuck, hetero sex, it's disgusting. Go back upstairs it doesn't look like you've slept anyway. I'll be in the office." Stephan left the kitchen like a tornado and could be heard making calls to begin the day.

John and Kimberly took Stephan's suggestion to heart and went back upstairs for more love making leaving the uneaten breakfast on the stove.

After the first round of morning sex, John went to take a shower. Kimberly lay in bed thinking how amazing this relationship has turned out to be. "Baby girl, will you bring me a towel?" John yelled from the bathroom. She got up and wrapped herself in the towel.

"This towel?" She said as she stood just outside the shower. John looked her up and down letting out a groan.

"Yes now take it off and get in here with me, I'm not finished with you." John grabbed Kimberly and pulled her into the shower. "You ready for round two?"


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Stephan

Chapter 7: Smackdown!

John and Kimberly were finally going to be in the same town at the same time and John was excited for her to see the show live. It was the taping before Wrestlemania so there was a lot of energy and excitement. John and Kimberly arrived at the arena in a limo which was customary for the high-end wrestlers. He had gotten her ring side seats and Stephan would be meeting her there. They put their things in John's locker room and went to the meeting hall to get a bite to eat and for the briefing of the evening's festivities. Kimberly had already met Billy Kidman and Torrie Wilson and struck an instant friendship with Torrie. John introduced Kimberly to everyone and they were all excited to finally meet the girl who won his heart. They all gushed to John how beautiful she was; tiny, but stunning. She was surprised it was more like a family with a little business thrown in. She expected everyone to just be like coworkers at some office. She was thrilled to meet the Undertaker and his wife, Sara, who was due to give birth at any minute. They spent the next few hours talking with Taker, Sara, Billy and Torrie. When it was time for the evening to begin everyone went to the locker rooms to change for the matches and interviews. Kimberly continued talking with Sara and was surprised when John told her his match was next. A security member escorted her to her seat where she found Stephan wearing a Chain Gang throwback jersey. She laughed and decided to top that. She removed her shirt to reveal a tank that read 'Mrs. Cena'.

"A little wishful thinking, my dear?" Stephan said as he read her shirt.

"Are you talking to me or yourself?" Kimberly retorted with a smirk, "You know these tees are the fashion trend right now." John's match was beginning and the crowd got quiet while they waited for his music to hit. The audience erupted instantly when John's theme song blared into the arena. She couldn't believe the overwhelming feeling that takes over when you hear a response like this. To her he's just John, the man she loves. To 15,000 people he's a sports hero, a giant in this business, a role model for children who aspire to make it in a tough world. John's match began as usual; he gains control within 30 seconds and then removes his t-shirt. The women in the audience scream. He usually throws the t-shirt into the crowd, but tonight he threw it to the woman who owned his mind, body and soul. He turned to throw it to her and was momentarily caught off guard as he read her shirt. He winked and smiled then threw her the shirt. It was as if she read his mind. Kimberly found it hard to watch John in this manner. She knew it was sports entertainment, but she also knew the moves were very real and if done improperly or a split second off in the timing, it could go seriously wrong. She couldn't even enjoy it. After the match the same security member came to get her to bring her back to John. She saw Sara who stopped her. "Kimmie, what's wrong?"

"Can I be honest with you?" Tears began to form in her eyes and Sara pulled her into an empty locker room. "That was actually scary to watch. It's so exciting to see it up close and feel the crowd's energy, but all I could think of was John getting hurt."

"I was the exact same way when I first staring watching Mark's matches live. It's different in your living room, but seeing it right there in your face is a little scary. You panic! You just want to run in there and save him. I'm still scared but I went to a few warm-ups and training sessions to see how it's put together and it really helped." A knock interrupted the conversation. Sara opened the door.

"Hey Sara have you seen my girl? She didn't come back yet." John exclaimed in a panicky voice. Sara let John in and gave Kimberly a hug.

"Tell him how you feel and call me." Sara hugged her again and left them alone.

"Baby girl, what happened?" John thought something had happened to her as she began to cry. He began checking her for marks, bruises, scratches any evidence that someone had hurt her.

"I'm sorry. That was just a little overwhelming to see up close." He completely understood as he had seen the same thing happen to other wives and girlfriends who watched for the first time. He held her close and wiped her tears, relieved no harm had befallen her.

"Nice tank by the way. Do you sell those in your stores?" They both smiled.

"Certainly not, it's one of a kind custom made. We sell others but I won't sell this one." John laughed at her protectiveness. He wrapped an arm around her and they went back to his locker room to gather their things. John showered and changed and they left to meet Mark and Sara and Billy and Torrie for dinner.

When they arrived at the restaurant, the Manager recognized Kimberly and had them seated at once. The group looked at each other and then at John. "I'll explain later."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I only own Kimberly

Chapter 8: Hall of Fame and Wrestlemania

John and Kimberly were in their hotel suite dressing when there was a knock at the door. John opened it to find some guys from the Raw roster. "Hey guys, what's up?" Randy Orton, Dave Batista, Shelton Benjamin, Adam Copeland, Jay Reso and Chris Irvine stood at the door.

Randy spoke first. "We came to meet her. Let us in."

John smiled and let everyone in. "She'll be out in a minute. I guess word travels fast."

"Torrie talked to Stacy and said you were bringing her to Wrestlemania. You know once you tell Stacy something word will travel fast." Randy said as they all piled in the room. John went to the bedroom to tell Kimberly they had company.

They both returned to the sitting room and the room fell silent. They all just stared at her. Kimberly, used to this happening, walked up to Dave first. "Hello, it's nice to meet you." She extended her hand and Dave took it.

"It's nice to finally meet you too." Dave said. Kimberly shook hands with the rest of the group and excused herself so the guys could talk. "Damn, John, she's just a little thing. How tall is she?"

"She's about 5'1 and 105 pounds. But watch out, she's a badass." John said proudly. There was another knock on the door. John got up thinking it would be more guys coming to ogle his girl. He opened the door to find Torrie and Billy and Mark and Sara. Kimberly rejoined the group and after a few beers and glasses of wine they all left to go to the ceremony, but agreed to dinner afterwards.

John looked at Kimberly and she said, "Just give me the final count and we'll have reservations instantly."

The Hall of Fame Ceremony was a huge success and everyone had a great time. Kimberly met the McMahon family along with Stephanie's husband and wrestler, Paul. John learned a little more about Kimberly when she spotted Hulk Hogan's wife, Linda. In typical female fashion, Kimberly and Linda squealed and gave each other big hugs. "Linda, it's so great to see you. I was hoping to find you tonight."

"I haven't seen you in awhile, where have you been?" Linda said, still holding Kimberly's hands. Brooke and Nick walked over with Hulk and Kimberly got the same greeting from Brooke and hugs from Nick and Hulk. Linda continued, "I want to know what you've been doing since we've seen you. Wait, what are you doing here?"

"I came with someone." Kimberly said with a sly grin. John walked up and Linda knew instantly what was going on. Kimberly introduced John to the Hogans and invited them to dinner. A big crowd soon gathered around them and they all headed out to the restaurant.

Upon arrival, the Maitre' D, Jacques, started to panic at the immense group piling into the lobby. When he saw Kimberly in the back waving to him, he breathed a sigh of relief and escorted them to a private dining area. Most of the patrons stopped at the sight of this procession of wrestlers walking through, it was like a cartoon of superheroes dressed in formal wear stopping for a bite to eat before a night of fighting crime. When they got to the private dining area, Kimberly said something to Jacques and sat next to John and Linda. Torrie and Billy and Mark and Sara were seated with them. Jacques had called in every member of the wait staff to help with tonight, saving the best people to service Kimberly's group. As she looked around it seemed as if every wrestler and his or her date was here. She guessed the only people not here were the McMahons and upper management. Kimberly got up several times to speak with Jacques and a few waiters and waitresses in private. On one occasion, John got the chance to speak to Linda.

"So how do you know Kimberly?" John asked.

"She's been our neighbor in Florida for about four years. She lives two houses down. Isn't she fabulous? She's so generous; I'm amazed she has time for herself. I'm glad she has you, John. Maybe you can get her to slow down a little." Linda winked at him.

"I'll do my best, Linda, but I've noticed she's pretty set in her ways." John said trying not to sound sad.

"John, you'd be surprised what she'd do for you if you just ask her. She'll kill me for saying this so don't repeat it, especially to her. She'd give everything up right now for love. She doesn't care if she has 50 cents or 50 million, she's happy anywhere as long as there's love. And by love I mean you. BUT, if you do anything, anything to her there will be hell to pay." Linda touched John's cheek and went back to her salad leaving John to ponder what she said. _How much more is there that I don't know? _Word got around to John, a lot, all night telling him what he already new, Kimberly was fabulous; mysterious but fabulous.

The following morning John got up earlier than usual. He paced around the hotel suite as if deep in thought. Kimberly woke up and watched John go in and out of the bedroom. "What's wrong, John?" She asked as she got up and hugged him.

"I've just got a lot on my mind. Are you coming with me to the arena or are you coming separately?" Kimberly looked at John as if he grew another head.

"Do you not want me to go with you? I was planning on riding together, but if you'd rather do something different that's ok too." Kimberly kept watching John and his expression, letting go of him as he subtly pushed her away.

"Uh, no that's fine, we can ride together." John walked away from her and left the suite. Kimberly stood there with tears in her eyes wondering what she had done. She changed and went to the hotel gym and pushed through her workout harder than she had in a long time. A few of the people she met last night showed up and greeted her, moving on to their own routines. Dave noticed something was wrong and walked over to her. He started his routine next to her and they worked out together for awhile in silence. He watched her and noticed several times she had tears in her eyes.

"If you have something you want to say, I'll listen." Dave said softly, not breaking pace, just leaving that out there for her to accept.

"Thanks, but I'm fine." Kimberly could barely speak without her voice cracking.

"I'm sure you are, just throwing that out there." Dave kept doing his reps again and watched her just in case. Tears began to fall and she excused herself. She went to the elevator and lost in a daze, pushed the wrong floor. When the doors opened she got out wiping her eyes, still not noticing she was on the wrong floor. She looked up when she heard John's voice talking to a female. John had his back to her and his hands were on his hips. He was looking down and that was all Kimberly could see. She stood there frozen not sure what was happening in front of her. She listened to the female trying to entice John to a pre-show party for two in her room.

"Come on, John, you know you want too. You've wanted to for a long time. Nobody else will know, just us." The female wrapped her arms around John's waist and pressed her body to his.

"Get off of me. I'm on my way to see Randy." John tried to go around her but she wouldn't let go. Kimberly moved to her left trying to see who this woman was. The female grabbed John's face and pulled her to him. She kissed John and held tight. He stumbled forward from the force of the grip on him. From Kimberly's viewpoint the kiss may have been uninvited but John didn't seem to be fighting it. The female wrapped her arms around John's neck to get a better hold on him. She stood there staring at the sight not sure to believe what she was seeing. Kimberly backed up and spun around trying to flee. She ran right into the elevator doors. She began frantically pressing the button and started to cry. John heard someone behind him and turned to see who was there. "Kimberly!" Realizing what she must have seen he panicked. The elevator doors opened and Kimberly darted inside. She turned to see John coming towards her and the female smirking at her. "Oh shit, baby girl, no, no. Wait." The doors closed and John stood there with his head and hands on the doors. Some of the wrestlers heard John yelling and came out to see what was happening. They saw John at the elevator and a brunette smiling in triumph.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly

Chapter 9: Operation – Get Her Back

John won the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania, fulfilling his life's dream. He celebrated in front of the cameras, but behind the scenes his heart was breaking. He went straight back to his hotel room and packed his things. He could still smell her perfume and it made the pain worse. He made a few calls and was on the first flight to Boston in the morning. John debated just driving the distance but knew he was too tired. He had to find her and talk to her. She wasn't answering his calls and he tried his best to explain on her voicemail. He tried to sleep, but it was fitful and he tossed and turned all night.

John flew into Boston and drove straight to her condo. When she wasn't there he tried her at her offices, nothing. He tried calling her assistant, Stephan, but Stephan wouldn't tell him where she was. He drove the three hours to her home in Amesbury and again, nothing. She's not hiding from him because her housekeeper didn't even answer the door. He drove to his dad's house in West Newbury and continued trying to call Kimberly. He told his dad what happened and he broke down and cried. For the second time in his adult life, he cried.

Over the next few weeks, John continued his quest to get her back while going through the motions of life. He continued his public persona but was just a shell of a person behind the scenes. Word quickly spread through the WWE what had happened and John received a lot of sympathy from his friends. The other female involved became an outcast and was shunned by everyone. Despite the treatment, she continued to relentlessly pursue John. One night at a Smackdown taping, she approached John in the cafeteria and in front of everyone began berating him. She called him names and tried to challenge him to a verbal war. She tried everything to get any sort of response from him. He did his best to ignore her and even a few of the wrestlers and Divas said something to her. John finally stood up and yelled as loud as he could. "Enough! I've had enough! Give it up! I don't want you, I never have wanted you. I don't like leftovers and sloppy seconds, get away from me!" The brunette Diva stood there looking at John as he exploded at her. He cleared his dishes and attempted to leave. She blocked him and had nothing but desire in her eyes.

"Look at me, John. Look at this body. You know you want it." John shook his head and walked around her to leave. The brunette yelled to John, "What does she have that I don't have?"

"Me! She has me! She owns me, mind, body and soul. Nothing and nobody will change that!" John yelled back and stormed out of the cafeteria. The roster was momentarily shocked at John's outburst, but quickly clapped and cheered for John. The Diva stormed out and went to the female locker room.

After the taping, John had an idea. The following morning he called the WWE offices and begged Stephanie to give him Hulk Hogan's phone number in Florida. She finally gave in after John told her what happened and why he needed the number. He called and spoke to Brooke, who being a John Cena fan, told him Kimberly was down here. Her Mom, Linda, was at Kimberly's house now. Brooke gave John the directions from the airport and John got on the next flight out of Boston.

He arrived at the gates of the neighborhood and found out Brooke gave clearance for him to enter. He saw a few cars in her driveway and now was struggling with his courage. He decided to go to Hulk's house and try to get info and advice. He spoke with Hulk and Brooke about what to do. He told them what happened before and after Kimberly saw him, and Hulk could tell John was telling the truth. While they were talking Linda walked in and went right after John. Hulk stopped her and said Linda needed to hear the other side of the story. John found it very easy to speak to the Hogans, they listened and even though they were loyal to Kimberly, they gave him the chance to explain. He told his version of the story again to Linda and even got emotional. With tears in his eyes he said, "I need her, Linda. She's my reason for living. She's my whole world. It's been almost a month and I'm a disaster. Please help me. I don't know what to do." John's voice started cracking and he bent his head down and wiped the tears. Brooke and Linda were teary-eyed also and Linda agreed to intervene, but only a little, the rest was up to him. As John regained his composure Linda left the house. She returned 15 minutes later and John stood as she entered. Kimberly saw John and tried to turn and leave. Linda stopped her and said she needed to hear what he had to say. She couldn't even look at John, it hurt too much, and she didn't want him to see her cry. She wouldn't be broken again. John had his chance to say everything he felt she should hear, but was dumbstruck. He couldn't find the words. His heart had leapt at the sight of her and was now breaking again. He could tell he hurt her beyond repair, but he needed to try and fix it. _How do I start? I don't want to say the wrong things._ John looked at Linda and Hulk. Hulk gave John a thumbs up and Linda pointed to the couch. John cleared his throat and his voice cracked as he spoke. "Would you please sit down with me?" He looked at her imploringly with tears in his eyes. Kimberly kept her head down but walked to the couch. As she passed Hulk and Linda she looked at them with so much emotion it was hard to distinguish between fear, pain and anger. She tried to subtly wipe the tears from her cheeks as she sat down. The Hogans sat in the chairs opposite the couch and silently agreed between themselves to not interfere, but to mediate if needed. They were there for support not as psychologists.

John spent the next hour explaining why he acted the way he did that fateful morning, why he was in that hallway and how he truly felt about the Diva. He continued explaining why his reaction to the kiss was delayed and the circumstances leading up to what she saw. He knew she was hearing him and truly listening when she looked at him while he was talking. He also knew to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth or she'd see right through him and shred his heart where he stood. John did his best to control his emotion and just use the facts. He didn't whine or beg for her to come back to him or carry on about how he's been feeling. After he was finished talking, he looked at her, really looked at her. His chin began to tremble and his eyes welled with tears. "I love you, baby girl with all that I have to give." Kimberly sat there looking at John absorbing all he had said. The room was silent for the next few minutes and Hulk and Linda exchanged looks, not knowing how Kimberly would react. Linda knew she was a tough-as-nails business woman who took shit from nobody. Highly respected socially and hugely successful in everything she did. Linda also knew Kimberly's excruciatingly painful past and knew why she kept it private; she honestly wasn't sure if John had a chance. What Kimberly said, she meant and she never went back on her word. She stood and went to Hulk and Linda. She kissed them both and excused herself, walking right out the door. John stood to run after her and was stopped by Hulk. Linda told John to wait here and walked out after Kimberly. She didn't get far and found Kimberly kneeling in the front yard her arms wrapped around her and rocking. Linda sat next to her and hugged her tight. As Kimberly cried and sobbed and let her emotions crash around her, Linda sat with her just holding her and rocking with her.

"He's not Joe. Fate won't deal the same blow twice. Let him into your world, let him help you heal. You have to tell him everything." The two women sat in silence for the next few hours until the sun began to set. John and Hulk walked outside and found the two women on the lawn. Hulk helped Linda up and they walked in the house. Kimberly looked up at John and he offered his hands. She put her hands in his and he pulled her up. They stood there looking at each other and Kimberly held onto John's hands. She led John around the house and they began walking down the beach toward her house. When they reached her home, she sat down on the sand facing the ocean.

Kimberly took a deep breath, "I need to tell you a few things."


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Stephan

Chapter 10: Starting Over

John and Kimberly spent the next few days starting to rebuild their relationship. They holed themselves in her home and she told John everything from her past. What she said explained why she kept things hidden from him and the world. John promised himself he would spend the rest of his life protecting her. He needed to regain her trust; he was going to start over with her from the beginning; they would start dating again. He was going to prove how much he loved her. They agreed Kimberly would travel with him as much as possible so they could spend more time together and fix what was broken. On Sunday John reported back to Smackdown. There was a huge announcement and the draft lottery was going to start on Monday's Raw show.

That night he called and said he had big news. She agreed to fly to St Louis in the morning and meet him at the hotel. He wouldn't tell her what the surprise was; she knew he was legally obligated to keep quiet.

He met her in the lobby and he seemed so excited. He told her he got her front row tickets for tonight's show only she was sitting opposite the same area she usually did. They spent the afternoon walking around downtown St Louis and did a bit of shopping. John wasn't to report until after 8 pm. Kimberly could put two and two together and figured he must be the first draft pick and he was switching to Raw. They had dinner and left for the arena. When they arrived they were escorted down an empty hallway to a locker room. It had all the usual things and they watched the show as they waited. A security guard came to get Kimberly and she gave John a hug and kiss. When she had gone, Eric Bischoff walked in and welcomed John to Raw. He went over the plan with him and left. Chris Irvine's show was beginning when she got to her seat. The security guard stayed with her the whole time, she found this odd, but shook it off. Chris said his first guest would be the biggest thing to happen in the history of Raw, the first draft pick. The arena grew silent in anticipation. Nobody had any clue who it would be. Kimberly heard a few fans thinking they would bring Taker back to Raw. Maybe Mysterio so he could be used to his full potential. John's music hit and the reaction was deafening. Chris's expression was priceless. Fans went crazy and it lit John like a fuse to dynamite. Kimberly had to laugh at the response of the fans. They loved him and did their best to show it. It seemed surreal that the man she loved was also loved by half the world.

The rest of the evening was a whirlwind of excitement. They were greeted backstage by almost everyone on Raw. She knew John had been secretly nervous about how he'd be received but the night was quite a success. As everyone talked, Kimberly looked over at Dave. She could tell by the expression on his face he knew he would be going to Smackdown. Both Champs can't be on the same side. Dave was happy for John, but would miss his friends and the thrill of a live show. Kimberly gave Dave a hug and kiss on the cheek. "If you need to say something, I'll listen." That brought a smile to Dave's face.

"I'm fine." Dave said.

"I'm sure you are I'm just throwing that out there." They both chuckled and hugged again.

John's traveling schedule changed immediately and they needed to replan their time together. Raw went to bigger cities and had a tougher schedule. He was also still squeezing in promo time for his CD. After breakfast the next morning Kimberly flew back to Boston and John would meet her there the next day. He needed to go to WWE headquarters for all the contract signings and schedule reviews that came with changing rosters.

The next several months went by and things just kept getting better and better for Kimberly and John. Professionally, he continued to retain his title and was an enormous success on Raw and she opened another club and restaurant. Personally they slowly built what had been crushed. The female involved was released by the WWE and would be gone from their lives. John's friendship with the Hogans also became very important to him. He had fulfilled another life-long dream and was able to wrestle with Hulk at a few Raw shows. John and Kimberly had been the best of friends now for over two years and had been exclusively seeing each other, not including the month-long hiatus, for almost a year. Christmas was two months away and he wanted to do something no man has ever done before for his woman. He enlisted Linda Hogan's help along with Kimberly's assistant, Stephan. Only his parents and Linda and Stephan knew what he was planning. Linda was sworn to secrecy, she couldn't even tell Hulk. All four had specific duties to pull off and deadlines to meet.

The annual WWE Holiday party would be the week before Christmas and was scheduled to be held at Kimberly's Boston restaurant. Everyone was allowed up to four guests, this helped John's plans. The day after the party John and Kimberly would fly to Florida and spend the holidays there. He had a hard time convincing her to go to Florida, but she finally gave in to him. Things seemed to be right on schedule for John's plans.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Stephan

Chapter 11: Fact or Fiction

Things were going well for John and Kimberly. It was two weeks before the Christmas party and his plans for her surprise were going according to schedule. Stephan and Linda really came through for him and he would be indebted to them forever.

John was at WWE Headquarters in a company meeting when he was delivered a package. At the same time Kimberly was at her home in Amesbury reviewing the reservations for her clubs and restaurants for the holidays and looking over the projected sales at her boutiques when a package was delivered to her.

When John's meeting was over he jumped in his car and went directly to Kimberly's. He still had the package with him but had forgotten to open it; he just wanted to get to her. Stephan had put the package aside until the meeting as over. John pulled into the driveway and grabbed his things. It was then he saw the package. He opened it and ran inside. Kimberly was putting her papers away and remembered her package. She opened it. All she could do was sit down. She was stunned. John entered her office waving around what he had received. ""You want to explain this to me?" He threw photographs down on her desk. Kimberly was still in a state of shock; she hadn't even looked at John. "Kimberly. Are you listening to me?" still no response from her. He looked to see what she was staring at and found more photos only these were of him. "What the fuck is this?" He flipped through the photos she had received and grew angrier. "This never fucking happened, where did you get these?" He saw the envelope and it had come from the same carrier his did. And then he saw it; a picture of a newborn and a copy of a birth certificate naming him the father.

"Get out." She could barely speak and he couldn't hear her. Tears falling from her face, she looked at him. "Please just get out."

"You're mad at me? How dare you get mad at me when I've got pictures of you and Dave." John was yelling at her at the same time his heart was breaking. As she looked at the photos through her tears she asked him point blank.

Her chin quivering, "Did you sleep with her? At all? Ever?"

John softened as he looked into her eyes. "Never. Not before you, not at all."

"Please don't lie, John, just tell me. Even if it was before me, just tell me."

John grabbed her and hugged her. "I never touched her."

They began looking at the photos closer when Stephan walked into the office eating popcorn. He glanced over both their shoulders and immediately said, "They're fake." And went back to his popcorn.

John looked at him, "How could you tell so fast?"

Stephan grabbed all the photos and laid them on the floor in a pattern. The photos were the exact same with the exception of the people in them. "Kimmie, honey, this is your blouse. Johnny, honey, this is your shirt. Whoever did this is very bad at it. All they did was superimpose the heads. The girl could have at least used her own body it would have been more believable." Kimberly grabbed the two photos and looked closer. "Call your lawyer?" She shook her head and Stephan took the photos and left the room. John and Kimberly stood there momentarily stunned at what had just happened. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and she looked at him. He knew exactly how she was feeling because he was feeling it too. She broke down and cried and crumpled to the floor. John sat next to her and hugged her. They almost threw everything away, everything they'd just repaired, everything they desired the most in life, because of the woman who won't give up.

"This has to stop. We can't continue living like this, fearful every time one of us leaves town. Afraid of what the other is doing. Traveling with you only feels suspicious, like we don't trust eachother. How can we have any relationship if we can't trust eachother?" Everything felt out of control at a time when everything should be in complete control.

The following day they met with Kimberly's lawyers and each gave their statements of their past involving this woman. John met with Vince McMahon later in the day and informed him on what was happening. Vince was nice enough to offer the WWE lawyers. They would act as backup to Kimberly's lawyers and assist with any research needing to be done and anything involving WWE personnel and files. Both sets of lawyers met with John and Kimberly a few days later and simply put by the Chief Litigator, "This will get ugly before it gets better." The woman had an accomplice behind the scenes and she wasn't telling who that person was, she just told them they would know soon enough. She was still claiming John was the father of her baby and said if they didn't believe her she would gladly allow a DNA test. Kimberly knew who this woman was involved with, she had a gut feeling. He found her. She knew she shouldn't have gone to the shows with John. She knew she shouldn't have sat in the front. She knew if she went on a national TV show, he would find her. She had to think of something, he probably knew where she lived. Kimberly ran out of the meetings in a panic and called Stephan. "He found me. I don't know how, but he found me. I was so stupid. It was allowing interviews. I let my guard down and permitted others into my life. I know it was from Raw that's it! He saw me on TV. Holy shit, this means he knows about John. What have I done?" John walked up behind her and listened.

"Kimmie, honey, you don't know it's him. How could he have possibly seen you much less find out about John? If you do think it's him you have to tell the lawyers. They can find out for sure but they need to know." Stephan was trying to sound calm and not panic as well. He knew what would happen if Kimberly was found. When he hung up with her he immediately called Linda Hogan to let her know what was happening. "Linda, you know what to do."

Kimberly paced the hallway on the verge of tears when she saw John standing there. He looked devastated. "When I invited you and got you those seats, I didn't know. I didn't know he would be looking for you."

"I know you didn't. It's my fault, not yours." Kimberly continued pacing. "I just have to find a way to hide again. I'll sell everything and move to another country." John stopped her.

"You're not going anywhere without me and I'm not leaving. I told you I would protect you and I will. He won't come near you." John said as he hugged her as tight as he could, hoping all hopes he could fulfill his promise. He knew what this guy was capable of and he had a small army behind him.

John called Hulk and Linda and told them what as happening, but they already knew. He was determined not to let this interfere with all he had done and asked Linda for her opinion. She agreed; Kimberly needed to know she was safe and secure. All he had worked for in the past months were about to come to fruition, nothing was stopping him now. Stephan and Linda were still on board and ready for the finishing touches. Now all they had to do was wait; it was up to John now.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Stephan

Chapter 12: The Holiday Party and John's Surprise

It was a week before the Holiday party and Kimberly still hadn't chosen a dress. She was shocked she was getting John into a traditional tuxedo, but he seemed all for it. She met with Vera Wang for her evening dress and he met with Ralph Lauren for his tux. How convenient for John, he almost thought it was too good to be true. Things seemed to be too easy. At a fitting Kimberly mentioned to Stephan how easy it as to get him to wear a traditional tux. "He didn't even fight me on it. Didn't make up some excuse to be able to wear his Chain Gang chain or work his belt into the ensemble. Something has been going on with that boy for the past week. He's acting so weird." Stephan trying not to smile just shrugged it off and pretended not to be listening to her. He knew he couldn't lie to her; she caught him every single time, so he ignored her rant. Vera pretended not to be listening for she was in on the surprise also.

The weekend of the party, Torrie Wilson and Billy Kidman, Mark and Sara Callaway and Hulk and Linda Hogan were staying with John and Kimberly at her condo in Boston while the rest of the WWE stayed in hotels. Torrie, notoriously bad at secrets was actually able to hold this one in, she knew there was no way she could ruin this it was too important. The day of the party, Kimberly fielded calls from the restaurant regarding menu changes and setup. A few times she had to go in just to ensure things were done properly. Her entire staff was working this evening and if everything went off without a hitch, they'd get a huge bonus. They all knew she was generous because she gave quarterly bonuses, but during the holidays, she was giving to everyone who worked for her. But if she asked something of you and you pulled it off, she rewarded you.

Torrie, Sara, Linda and Kimberly were all upstairs getting ready as the men yelled from downstairs they were going to be late. Hulk, Mark and Billy were trying to relax John. "As long as you have everything, it will work out. But remember, things don't always turn out as you dream, but when the time is right, you'll know. So relax and go with the flow." Hulk patted him on the back as Linda walked down followed by Torrie and Sara. The three couples walked out to the limo and John yelled up to Kimberly to hurry. She came to the top of the steps and his heart leapt into his throat. All of his nerves settled, all his fears disappeared. His feelings were once again confirmed. This was the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, no doubts, and he knew the time was as good as any.

"You are so beautiful and I'm the luckiest man alive. I love you, baby girl." He kissed her tenderly, knowing not to mess up her make-up. The two couples stopped at the limo and turned to see what the delay was. John continued. "I'm happiest when I'm with you. I'm a whole person when I'm with you. You're my life, my love, my world." John got down on one knee. Torrie, Sara and Linda gasped from the driveway. John pulled out a blue box with a white ribbon from his pocket. Not just any blue box, the blue box. The specific blue every woman in the world recognized. Kimberly began to shake, finally realizing why he'd been acting so funny. He kept trying to give her the box but she refused to take it, afraid to believe this was happening. John opened it for her to reveal a striking cushion cut Legacy style ring. The 5 carat pink diamond was surrounded by smaller pink bead set diamonds and graduated white diamonds on the band. Kimberly's mouth dropped open and she let out a little gasp. John took her left hand, "Will you marry me?" Her eyes went from him to the ring and back again. She took her hand from John and shook her head no.

Outside the couples were taken aback. "Say yes. You mean yes." Linda said quietly and Torrie and Sara said the same thing.

"John, it's too much. The ring it's too much." Kimberly continued to shake her head no. Her past began swimming through her head and she wanted to run. Linda's words played back, she can't hold John accountable for something someone else did. She must give him a chance. John took her hand again and reassured her.

"It's not anywhere near the ring I want to get you. I picked this ring because I know how much you love it. I saw the way your eyes danced when you saw it last Christmas. Kimberly, I know I can make all your fears go away. I want to spend everyday with you. You are the first person I talk to in the morning and the last one at night. I don't want that to ever change. Will you marry me?" She stood there looking at John for what seemed like an eternity. She pulled her hand away again and placed both on John's face. She looked into his eyes and suddenly felt safe, relaxed. She kissed him firmly. As she kissed him she said yes. John jumped up and hugged her. "I love you." He heard a whistle from outside and they both looked to see the two couples waiting. John and Kimberly ran outside and John exclaimed loudly "She said yes!"

Torrie, Sara and Linda hugged Kimberly and grabbed her hand. No ring. Linda looked over and said "John!" as she waved Kimberly's hand.

"I was so excited I forgot to give it to you!" He opened the blue box and pulled out the ring.

Kimberly inhaled sharply and the other six people behind them all said in unison "wow."

John looked at her. "Are you sure?" She looked at John and he could see fear in her eyes, but she shook her head yes. He slid the ring on her finger, her hand shaking noticeably. He pulled her close and kissed her tenderly. Linda, Sara and Torrie grabbed Kimberly and Billy, Mark and Hulk pushed John into the limo. Linda and John exchanged a look and a nod and he breathed a sigh of relief. The four couples went to the Holiday party and John and Linda knew they'd gotten over the first hurdle; they needed to get over one more for the mission to be complete.

The party moved along smoothly and everyone was having a wonderful time. Halfway into the evening Vince McMahon stood for his speech. He thanked everyone for coming and made a few small announcements. Linda McMahon stood and thanked everyone and Kimberly for the use of her restaurant and the wonderful meal and setting. She then acknowledged the newly engaged couple and cheers erupted from the crowd. They were swarmed all night with hugs, congratulations and well wishes. All of it made Kimberly extremely uncomfortable and skittish, but she just held tight to John and waited for the evening to end. They didn't know they were being watched. They didn't know they were being photographed.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Stephan

Chapter 13: John and Kimberly's Dream Come True

After John and Kimberly had left the holiday party, Linda and Hulk discreetly passed out invitations to a select few and Stephan had mailed invitations and made phone calls to those not in the WWE. People were on guard but had to wait until the last minute for the details. They all just hoped they'd have guests since it was over the holidays. The day after the party, Sunday, and a week before Christmas, John flew out for the Raw show the following day. Hulk, Mark and Torrie also had to fly out. Billy went back to their home in Florida and Linda and Sara stayed with Kimberly in Boston. Sara knew of John's plan to propose the previous night, but after everyone had left, Linda told Sara about her part in the big surprise and Sara needed a dress. They left for New York City Monday morning and took a limo so Linda could work on the final details during the ride. Sara met with Vera Wang to get her dress fitted and Linda tried hers on for a final fitting. Vera would be shipping the dresses to Linda's home in Florida on Friday and would meet with them again on Saturday for any last minute adjustments. Sara flew out Monday afternoon to go back to Florida. Early Tuesday afternoon Hulk and John flew back to Boston. Linda and Hulk left for Florida on Wednesday and reassured John things were going great. Linda and Stephan had already gotten a positive return on almost all of the invitations and things looked to be on track. John and Kimberly would be leaving for Florida Saturday morning. He was a bundle of nerves. Sure he was overseeing the entire project, but he started to wonder if this was too much for a man with no natural abilities for this type of venture. Luckily Kimberly was deep in her work for the week and didn't notice John's frail nerves. She did notice he seemed jumpy and a little on edge, but figured it was his fears about his parents coming for Christmas. Friday night they turned off their phones and John made Kimberly dinner. Afterwards they sat together quietly in the family room in front of the fire. Both of their minds swimming in thought. _What if I'm rushing this? What if she doesn't think our relationship is 100? What if I'm making a huge mistake?_ John looked at Kimberly who had her head in his lap and her eyes closed. _She's worth it, I know she is. I just hope I don't scare her away. 24 hours until I find out._ She looked up at him their eyes locking. "I love you, John." He couldn't hear those words enough. It always made his heart leap when she said them.

"I love you too, baby girl." He paused looking at her. "Are you ready for all the houseguests?" Oh no, did he just blow it?

"I hardly consider your family as guests. They've been there before so relax." Kimberly kissed him and led him upstairs. They changed for bed and lay next to eachother, dreaming of the same thing, the dream that would come true tomorrow.

Saturday morning a limo arrived to take them to the airport. John made a few stealth phone calls to Stephan and Linda to make sure they were ready. Stephan would pick them up at the airport and Linda would be waiting at her house. Kimberly also called Stephan to make sure John's present had arrived. Naturally on the flight, Kimberly did a little work. He looked at her left hand and smiled. She was in for a huge surprise. She looked over at John who was smiling. "What? You're up to something I can tell." John just shook his head and thought to himself _if you only knew._ The flight was smooth and they landed 15 minutes early. Stephan met them outside and they drove for an hour to Kimberly's. When they were 10 minutes away Linda called and asked Kimberly to go to her house. She had to convince her to stop but Kimberly finally relented. When they pulled in they were greeted in the driveway by Linda, Torrie and Sara. She and John got out of the car and went inside. Mark, Billy and Hulk were waiting in the family room. Kimberly was a little leery because everyone kept smiling at her. "You people are freaking me out. Stop staring at me and tell me why I can't go to my house." John cleared his throat. This was it. No turning back now. He suddenly didn't know what to say or how to tell her what was going on. "Ok, this is weird. It's dinner time, I'm hungry and I'm going home."

"No!" The entire room said in unison causing her to jump. John took both her hands in his and he dropped to one knee. "Will you marry me? Tonight?" Kimberly started to laugh.

"You have lost your mind, John Cena. Where in the hell am I going to get a dress at the last minute?"

"Is that a yes?" John asked.

"That is a flat out you are crazy. It's Christmas Eve. There's no way this can be done." She looked around the room bewildered.

"I already did. Everything is ready, you just need to say yes, go upstairs, change and meet me at your house on the beach at 11:30." John said smiling. He couldn't contain himself.

"Are you people kidding me? You have all gone completely insane." Kimberly turned to leave and saw Vera Wang in the doorway holding a garment bag. "This so isn't happening." She turned back around and looked at everyone. John was still on bended knee. Tears filled her eyes. "When you asked me to marry you I said yes thinking you'd get over the crazy idea eventually. Do you seriously want to marry me?"

"Yes." John said simply. Kimberly looked at her watch and at the group. She looked at Linda who looked back reassuringly. She kissed John softly and walked away. She stopped and talked to Vera then left the room. Vera gave the group a thumbs-up and they all took off in different directions. The women went upstairs and the men went to Kimberly's house; soon to be John and Kimberly's house.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of excitement. Kimberly, Sara, Torrie and Linda were getting ready in Linda's bedroom. Kimberly had her hair and make-up done by her stylist. Her hair was pulled up in the front and left hanging loosely down her back. It was curled just enough to add a little something without being over done. When she was ready Vera presented five dresses, still in the garment bags, for her to choose.

"Mr. Cena came into my office six months ago and I showed him my designs for a lot of dresses. He chose these five. When I met you for your evening dress fitting and I saw your personality and how you like a dress to look, I knew he chose the right ones." Vera signaled her assistant who revealed the five dresses. "Try them on and see what you like best." Kimberly modeled all five dresses but knew which one she wanted from the moment she saw it, the one she wore last. Vera smiled. "This is John's favorite. He knew you'd pick this one." Her dress was a v-neck modified a-line gown with a criss-cross empire waistline and beaded detail. The three women walked over to her and they each held a box. Torrie handed Kimberly her box first. It was John's paternal grandparent's wedding bands. There was a note inside that Torrie read, it was from John's Dad. 'Thank you for sharing your life with my son. These words were said to my Grandmother by her father-in-law. My Grandfather said them to my Mother and my Father said them to my wife. Thank you for sharing your life with my son.' All four girls were teary and they giggled at how sweet that was. Sara handed Kimberly her box. It was wrapped in blue, giving away which gift she had. She opened it to find a tiny blue satchel. Kimberly kissed the wedding bands and placed them inside. Linda gave Kimberly two boxes. In the first she found a single strand of pearls.

"You are my best friend. You are a gift from God to everyone you meet. Terry gave these to me on the thirtieth anniversary of our first date; the day he and I became best friends. I want you to wear these so you know how valuable you are to John." Linda could barely speak and she hugged Kimberly tight. In the second box she found her most treasured possession and a note from John. Her eyes were brimming with tears and she couldn't read the note. She sat down and Linda handed her a handkerchief. The three girls sat down with her. Kimberly's breath was ragged and she was having trouble not breaking into sobs. She handed the note to Sara.

'My beautiful girl. I wanted you to know that your Dad is with you walking you down the aisle. Hold these in your right hand as you would hold his hand. When you meet me at the end of the aisle, you and I will hold these together. I love you and I'll see you soon.' Kimberly pulled her Dad's dog tags from the box. Her Father passed away when she was seven years old, the tags were all she had of her Dad. All four girls needed their make-up redone because they were all crying. As the girls were finishing, Kimberly quietly slipped out of the room. She went outside to the beach and looked to the heavens. She closed her eyes and pictured her Dad. She wanted his face to be in the front of her mind as she walked down the aisle. She whispered, "I love you, Daddy."


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and Stephan

Chapter 14: Mind, Body and Soul

Kimberly stayed on the beach thinking of her life and the cruel blows she's been dealt. She lost her father when she was seven. Her mother ignored her when her step-father came into the picture. Her step-brother molested her for years. Her boyfriend drowned right in front of her. And then there was him. She wouldn't even speak his name for the fear of him hearing her. It had been seven years since it happened and the pain was still raw, still fresh, still excruciating. Kimberly looked at her left hand where she always held it. She opened the locket on her bracelet and looked at it. She smiled at the chubby little face next to hers. On the other side was a locket of hair. "Everything, everyday is for you." Linda walked up beside her and just stood there. When she looked at Linda she let it all out. Linda grabbed her and held her tight. Kimberly cried like never before, she screamed and she talked about him and how he will always be her priority. To honor him and to avenge him. "He would have loved John. I wish they'd known eachother." She smiled at the thought of John with him. Linda broke the hug and looked directly into Kimberly's eyes.

"He does know John. He's the one helping you through this. He's the one looking at you and telling your heart its okay." Kimberly sobbed again releasing all her penned up emotion. Linda said softly, "Now stop crying and start celebrating. Today you can celebrate him. He's still with you holding your hand. He'll be walking in front of you, leading the way and your dad will be walking beside you." She kissed Kimberly's cheek and said, "We have enough time to fix your face and then you and John have a date." She smiled at Linda and they walked inside. Her stylist would have her ready to go in 30 minutes, no traces of a meltdown. Torrie and Sara left and Kimberly and Linda walked slowly hand in hand outside. They got into a limo and went the short distance to her house. When she got out of the car she was overwhelmed. The outside had been decorated with white and purple hydrangeas, more than she already had. They walked in the front door and her eyes immediately went straight through to the French doors leading back outside. She walked through her home with her mouth hanging open, amazed at how wonderful and romantic it looked. No lights were on inside, it was softly lit by candles. Her favorite flowers were everywhere. Linda led her outside to reveal two tents. Her pool had been covered with glass and the blue glow through the glass took your breath away. She led Kimberly to the tent on the left.

"This is it. Right in here is everything you've been waiting for and everything you deserve." She helped Kimberly tie the satchel to her flowers and fastened her locket to her wrist. In her right hand she held her daddy's tags. She took a deep breath and hugged Linda and Linda stepped inside. For the first time she looked at her flowers. The most beautiful white roses she had ever seen. Stephan stood there with tears in his eyes. He straightened her dress and signaled to the wedding planner. The Wedding March was played by a string quartet and Stephan led Kimberly to the entrance. She gasped and looked around; it was simply astonishing. The ten was lit the same as her home; candles were everywhere and the tent was filled with flowers. Her eyes landed on John and a small warm breeze swept across her blowing her hair. It made her breath catch in her throat. She looked up at the beautiful night sky, the full moon and all the stars. Her eyes found the North Star and she smiled. She looked back at John. He was having a hard time breathing and containing his emotion. He couldn't believe this was happening, how his life had become so amazing. He was so fortunate to have found such a remarkable woman. He didn't think she could be any more beautiful than she was at this very moment. Kimberly looked at Stephan who gave her a little push. She couldn't move; she stood there frozen. She was afraid if she moved she would wake up and realize it was all a dream.

Stephan stood behind her and whispered in her ear, "He did this. All of it. It took him six months to achieve this magnificent night. As you glide toward your husband look around and know every little detail he did for you. Enjoy him." John looked at her and held out his hand. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and slowly moved toward her dreams. When she opened her eyes she was still in the tent, still walking to John. Their eyes remained fastened on eachother. When Kimberly reached John he removed the locket bracelet from her wrist. He opened her right hand and removed the tags replacing them with the bracelet. He held her right hand with his left and wound the chain around them. There wasn't a dry eye around. Only a select few knew the significance of what John had just done. He showed her he would love her as never before, he would cherish her the way she was, he would honor her memories and share her pain. He said this to her in his vows.

"I love you with every ounce of being in my soul." John's voice was shaky and his chin quivered. The pastor pronounced them husband and wife at exactly midnight. He took her right hand, which was still linked to his and pressed it to his heart with his left. He took her left hand placed it on top of his left covering it with his right hand. With tears in their eyes they shared their first kiss as husband and wife.

The guests stood and clapped as John and Kimberly walked up the aisle. He led her inside for a few moments alone with his new bride as the guests exited one tent for the other. They held eachother in the soft glow of the candles, both wearing grins that wouldn't go away. He showered her with gentle kisses and delicately dipped his tongue in her mouth. They tasted one another savoring the feel of the heat that was building. After several minutes of pure kisses they broke apart. John and Kimberly went back to the party and realized they were still chained to eachother. John unhinged them and placed the dog tags in the left inside pocket of his jacket. In a moment of safety and security, Kimberly handed John her locket. He placed the bracelet in his breast pocket also. Stephan came in and asked if they were ready to join the reception. As they approached the other tent they heard the announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. John Cena." The crowd cheered and he looked at her, touching her cheek with the back of his hand. She smiled up at him and they kissed before entering the tent.

The reception lasted until morning. Everyone danced and enjoyed cuisine from another of Kimberly's restaurants. As dawn was breaking, John and Kimberly stole a few moments alone and went down to the beach. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. The stood silently and watched the sunrise. For the second time that evening the band played their favorite song. They kicked off their shoes and began to dance. As they kissed, Kimberly removed John's shirt and tie and the dance turned erotic. Wondering where the couple had gone, the guests that remained came outside. They watched the newlyweds dancing in the surf as the sun rose above the horizon. The guests stood there knowing they should give them privacy and yet unable to turn away. It was exquisite, tantalizing and arousing to observe. The passion fueling the dance was intense and overpowering yet at the same time filled with such pure raw emotion that only two people destined to share one life can express. It was a side of this couple no outside eye had witnessed. When the song ended the trance was broken and the guests moved back inside the tent. John and Kimberly never knew they weren't alone. They grabbed their things and walked hand in hand back to the tent. "Merry Christmas, baby girl."


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and those who are unknown

Chapter 15: Merry Christmas and Happy Honeymoon

John and Kimberly stayed at the reception for a little while longer and John said he had one more surprise for her. "I have a surprise for you too, it's in the garage." John looked at her inquisitively with a spark of excitement in his eyes. She had him close his eyes as she led him to the garage. When they arrived she put keys in his hand and he opened his eyes. There was his dream car. She bought him a Bugatti. He stood there just staring at the car; he wanted to drive it but knew they had to leave for the airport. He couldn't speak he was just in shock. He knew what the car cost and was surprised she bought that for him, especially since she had no idea about the wedding. John hugged her tight and just held her. Things just kept getting better and better.

"We need to get ready for our flight." He mumbled finally, still never taking his eyes from the car. Kimberly laughed and left him alone with the car. She went back to the tent and told Stephan they were going to leave soon. She thanked her guests for coming and wished them all a Merry Christmas. As soon as she was back in the house she took off her shoes and went upstairs. Linda had packed most of the things she would need since she knew where John was taking her. She wasn't allowed to look in her bags, Linda locked them and John had the keys. She laid down on the bed and fell asleep while waiting for John. Kimberly was jolted awake as he came bounding into the bedroom like a 6 year old on Christmas morning. "I just took the car around the neighborhood. It's kick ass!" John plopped down beside her. He looked over at her and they lovingly gazed into eachother's eyes. He stroked her hair and kissed her lightly. "We need to go." He jumped off the bed and began to change his clothes. He put on his usual attire, a t-shirt and pair of shorts.

"I need to know where we're going so I know what to wear." Kimberly tried to get any info she could from him.

"Your dress is hanging on the back of your closet door. And you'll get no tips from me. You won't know where we are until we deplane." He had that smirk on his face that said 'I know something you don't know'. She hated that look. Kimberly rolled her eyes and asked for John's help getting out of her gown. He unzipped her dress and just stood back watching her wanting to remember this moment forever. He couldn't wait to tell his children and grandchildren how beautiful she looked the day they were married. Kimberly changed into a sleeveless white linen dress that reached her calves. She put on comfy shoes and pulled her hair into a pony tail. Unable to control himself any longer, John grabbed her into a tight hug and kissed her firmly. "Let's go!"

The guests had gathered in the entry at the base of the stairs. Kimberly was ready to throw the bouquet and turned her back to the group. She tossed it a little to her left and Brooke Hogan caught it. Hulk took it from her and yelled "I don't think so. Throw it again." He tossed the bouquet back to Kimberly as the crowd laughed at his protectiveness. This time Kimberly faced the crowd and threw it directly to Brooke. Hulk shot her a look and she smirked back at him. Hulk just shook his head, smiled and let his daughter keep the bouquet. The newlyweds said goodbye to everyone and jumped into John's new car. He wanted to take the car to the airport so Stephan rode with them so he could bring it back. Kimberly was shocked when they drove onto the tarmac to meet the private plane. They sat next to eachother and had 2 staff members at their beck and call. A bottle of champagne was brought to them along with hors de ouvres. After this, they were left alone. John poured the champagne and as they drank they shared their thoughts and dreams for the future. He lightly touched on the topic of a family and she seemed receptive, but he didn't want to push her. They both lay down on the couch and cuddled before falling asleep. They awoke when the plane landed in New York and John rushed her to the next plane. He was hoping he wouldn't get recognized since they were in a hurry, he pulled his ballcap down low and they speed-walked to the next flight. When they got there, the flight attendant instantly put them on the plane. There was only one other couple in first class but the rest of the plane was full. Word got around that John was on the plane and a few kids asked to meet him. He was gracious and signed autographs and posed for pictures. They did the same routine when they landed in London, John rushed her to the next plane and they boarded instantly. On this flight it felt like the entire passenger list knew who John was! Children and adults all asked for photos and autographs. Kimberly fell asleep on this flight also and John woke her when they landed. A jeep met them at the plane and would drive them to their destination. John did his best to keep her away from anything that would tell her where they were. He also blindfolded her for the drive which took two hours. She had no clue and the bumpy roads only made the guessing worse. She was getting frustrated when they finally stopped. She knew they had traveled half way around the world because all of the flights were long and she knew she'd been in London. John led her from the jeep and they climbed a lot of stairs. He finally stopped her, put her hands on a railing and removed her blindfold. Kimberly blinked a few times to focus her eyes and gasped when she saw what was in front of her. They were in a tree and looking out over the plains of Kenya. She saw a variety of wild animals grazing near them and she couldn't believe she was finally here. John handed her binoculars and she had to blink away tears to see. Visiting Africa and taking a safari adventure had been her lifelong dream. The sun was setting and it was just an awe inspiring view. John led her into their hotel room which was actually a hotel built into a group of trees. There were only 7 rooms and the rooms were like suites. He led her into their room and they toured it together. The shower and bath were part of the room but you could open the exterior wall and have an outdoor-type experience. There was no glass in the suite; all the doors and windows had screens with shutters or louvered doors. It was exactly like a treehouse, exactly like her dreams. Kimberly ran back to the balcony and watched the animals as the sun set. John sat in a chair and watched his wife. At least 30 minutes had passed and John joined her on the balcony. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her neck and whispered, "I love you." She turned around and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"I love you." She pulled John to her and kissed him. The firm kisses turned into passionate ones and John pulled her inside. He lit a few torches around the room and Kimberly went to change. They hadn't made love since before Wrestlemania, it was a decision they made while they tried to repair the relationship. This would be a special night for them both. He was wondering what was taking her so long so he went to the bathroom and knocked on the door. John could tell by the sound of her voice she was crying so he went in and saw her sitting on the floor. He sat next to her and picked her up, placing her in his lap. He just held her and comforted her. She stopped crying and cuddled for a bit before she looked at him. She took his face in her hands and kissed him softly. Without breaking the kiss, John stood up with her in his lap and went to the bed. He laid her down gently and continued kissing her. He loved kissing her; she could always bring him to the breaking point with just her kisses. To keep this from happening, he broke the kiss and moved to her neck. John worked his way down and released her breasts from their confines, giving them both equal attention. As he kissed his way down her tummy, he rolled her to her side as he tugged on her panties. He pushed her to her back and removed the panties. He kissed her calves, the backs of her knees, her thighs, working his way up her back to her neck. John gently pulled her hair so her head was arched backward and kissed her hard as he slipped into her. Kimberly groaned into his mouth and he thought he would explode right then. He pulled back out and rolled her back over, diving down and loving her with his mouth. He swiftly took her to the edge and slowed. John repeated this several times until she couldn't handle it anymore. He used his hands and tongue to drive her over the edge of bliss, staying with her until her body stopped convulsing. When she regained control of her senses, Kimberly pushed John to his back and decided to return the favor. She brought him to the point of explosion and let go long enough to straddle him and sit down. She continued controlling the moment with slowly rocking back and forth to moving and sliding up and down. When he had had enough, John flipped her over and made sweet love to his new wife.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and those who are unknown

Chapter 16: The Newlyweds Return

John and Kimberly spent the next week touring Kenya either by jeep or atop elephants. The first time she sat on the elephant she started to cry. She couldn't believe she was this close to such a majestic creature. If it had been safe, she would've been in the fields playing with the rhinos, swimming with the hippos and walking through the woods with the gorillas. Every night they made love and decided to try and get pregnant immediately. She was on top of the moon. Kimberly thanked John almost every five minutes for such a perfect wedding and honeymoon. She couldn't believe he knew exactly what she wanted. On the last day they made a pact to come back to Africa for every anniversary. The return flight was exactly like the other only less hustle; more autographs and pictures.

They flew straight to Boston since New Year's Revolution would be held there in two days. John had time to deal with the time change and jet lag before having to wrestle at the pay-per-view. His family, along with Marc and his wife, came to visit and Kimberly was swarmed by her housekeeper and Stephan. John's Christmas present to his Dad, Marc and brothers was tickets for the New England Patriots playoff games and the Superbowl. The Patriots had homefield advantage and the first playoff game was in Boston the following day. Kimberly settled her household affairs Friday and took John's Mom on a shopping spree Saturday since Christmas had been crazy. Marc's wife, Angie, and her housekeeper, Maria were going with them and Stephan insisted on going also so they could still work and she agreed. Carol Cena learned a little more about her new daughter-in-law and how busy her work was. She and John were glad his parents could finally get along. They had a messy divorce several years ago after 25 years of marriage and they knew it was best for the boys if they were friends. They also discovered they were still the best of friends. The men drove Kimberly's Lincoln Aviator, which may as well be John's SUV. Kimberly, Angie, Carol, Maria and Stephan took her 2006 BMW 760Li. Carol couldn't believe the vehicles she had seen at each house and how roomy they were. Each house had two sedans and two or three SUVs, no vehicle was under $100,000. Maria drove the cheapest car at each location and that was still the top of the line Acura sedan, Kimberly bought Maria one for each house. Carol also learned she paid for Maria's medical and dental insurance and sent her on vacation three times a year for two weeks with one guest, all expenses paid anywhere in the world. Also at each house she had her own suite and Carol thought to herself, _this is one lucky housekeeper._

When the girls and Stephan had finished shopping, they went to a late lunch at a quaint little seaside restaurant. She learned Kimberly loathed seafood, almost to the point of gagging at the smell, but she loved the location and they served her favorite chicken. She explained the smell inside the restaurant didn't bother her as much since it was masked by other smells. After they had lunch, they went to the spa and had massages, facials and mani-pedis, of course Stephan joined them. Carol had noticed the locket bracelet on Kimberly's wrist and had seen the significance of it at the wedding. She wanted to ask about it, but thought it best to ask John. After the pampering they went back to Kimberly's condo. They were surprised the men were already back and had planned to cook for the girls. John didn't care there was three feet of snow outside, he was grilling steaks. Carol and Angie cooked the rest of the meal and got to know Maria and Stephan a little better. When Carol and Angie were able to corner John they asked about the locket.

"It has a picture of her son on one side and herself on the other." He replied nonchalantly. Carol and Angie were stunned. They didn't know she had a son and asked where the son was now.

"Her son was killed." John offered no further details so they knew they needed to ask more questions if they wanted any information. "Eight years ago she was in a relationship that went horribly wrong. The guy raped her. She found out she was pregnant and put herself into hiding. She thought everything was fine until about eight months after her son was born. The asshole found them and attempted to kidnap the baby. Kimberly caught him and jumped in the car. There was an insane police chase and the fucker drove them off a cliff. On purpose. He lived and was put in jail for life. Kimmie was in a coma for six months and it took her another year to recover. He tried collecting the insurance money for the baby but never got it since he was the murderer. When Kimmie recovered, obviously, she got the money. It was enough for her to start her first boutique."

Angie and Carol both said in unison, "Shepherd's." John nodded and went back outside to check on the steaks. When he came back in Carol asked how she felt about another child.

"She says she's okay with it." John said with a slight smile not wanting to reveal they were working on it. Carol and Angie couldn't believe it. "Don't say anything to her. She doesn't like to talk about it."

"Talk about what?" Kimberly walked in and startled them.

John kissed her firmly and whispered, "I love you." He went outside to get the steaks and Carol and Angie had a hard time not staring at her with sympathetic eyes.

"Fine, don't tell me, I'll just get everybody drunk and force it out of you!" Kimberly smiled and walked out. Maria walked in just as Carol and Angie let out huge sighs as if they'd been holding their breaths. Angie put her head on the counter and Carol reached for a tissue.

"Don't treat her any different." Maria said with her thick Italian accent. "She'll know instantly."

"I'll have to get drunk so I don't act funny, but then I might say something." Angie said.

"Kimmie will talk about it, but only on her terms. Don't confront her." Maria said getting out a bottle of wine. She poured the three of them a glass and Angie gulped hers. John came back in and rolled his eyes.

"Mom, please, do not say anything." He said. Carol and Angie both promised to keep quiet but found themselves staring at Kimberly. It didn't take long for her to figure out they'd learned something and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out exactly what they'd learned. When everyone finished dinner and Stephan and Maria cleared the table, Kimberly sat back and looked at everyone.

"Just ask me and get it over with, please." She looked right at Carol and Angie. Carol got tears in her eyes and Angie looked away.

"I don't have any questions; I just want to say I'm so sorry." Carol said choking back her tears. Kimberly gave a half smile and left the room.

"Smooth, Mom. Real nice." John got up and went after his wife. He found her in her office looking for something on the bookshelf. "I'm sorry. They asked about your bracelet." Kimberly didn't respond she just pulled two photo albums from the shelf. She gave one to John and took the other to the dining room. She put it in front of Carol and walked out. John walked in and saw his Mom had the other. He sat next to his Mom and everyone gathered around. For the next 20 minutes everyone ooh'd and aah'd over the pictures. When they'd finished Carol, Angie, John and his father all had tears in their eyes.

"She's never shown those to anyone. She always has them with her, but she's never revealed them before today. " Stephan said. "She's downstairs." He finished and walked back out. They all got up and went downstairs to the home theater. Kimberly was sitting in a chair in front of the TV and they all sat silently around her. She pressed a button on the remote and the TV screen lit up to reflect a chubby newborn boy. Everyone sat in silence as they watched the baby boy grow. The last images were Kimberly holding her son over her head and looking up at him smiling; telling him how much his Mommy loved him. The chubby boy looked down at his Mommy and smiled and giggled. She kissed her son's cheek and turned to face the camera. Her and her son's eyes sparkled with joy and they smiled. He looked just like her. The video stopped and they sat quietly. The only sound you could hear was sniffing. John hugged his wife and whispered his love for her.

"So, who needs a drink?" Kimberly said and went to the bar. Carol and Angie followed and John thought this was the perfect time to get naked to relieve the tension. "Did you not dress him as a child? Why is he obsessed with nudity?" She asked his parents. Carol rolled her eyes and shook her head. Kimberly had to laugh at how crazy John was and he didn't care who saw him naked. That care-free spirit running rampant again. Stephan and Maria came downstairs and Stephan squealed like a little girl and dropped to his knees. He placed his arms on the ground in front of him as if worshiping John. Everyone laughed and John put his boxers back on. The rest of the evening was filled with Cena family stories and Maria and Stephan couldn't believe Carol made it out with her sanity. Stephan managed to control himself since John was running around almost naked. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her neck and whispered, "I love you." She turned around and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"I love you." She pulled John to her and kissed him. The newlyweds excused themselves and went to bed. John needed rest before the pay-per-view tomorrow night. Being a man, he wasn't so tired he couldn't make love to his wife. They drifted off to sleep contentedly loving the way their bodies fit together. John didn't want to say anything but he hoped they would get pregnant right away. He knew their baby could never replace Shepherd, but he knew it would help her heal a little.

Sunday morning was crazy in the new Cena household. The phone was ringing like crazy from all the well-wishers excited to see them. John was pumped and kept inviting people over. Before they knew it, the house was packed with guests. The men congregated in the basement and first floor family room bouncing between football and video games. The women holed up in the living room at the front of the condo talking about typical female topics: men, sex, shopping and kids. John kept checking on Kimberly every 15-20 minutes and it made all the girls laugh and tease him. Torrie and Sara vowed to bring bodily harm to their husbands since they hadn't visited once. Dave Batista's wife, Angie agreed and said she'd go as far as to cut him off from any bedroom activities, knowing this would pain her also. The girls were laughing hysterically when John came back in with Dave behind him. The girls quickly stifled their giggles and John and Dave knew they'd been the topic of conversation.

"It would be in Billy and Mark's best interest to get their asses in here and kiss their wives." Kimberly whispered. John kissed her and left the room returning a few minutes later with Mark and Billy. The men joined them and wanted to know what they were discussing. When the girls wouldn't reveal the topic, the guys began mocking them. They had the girls in hysterics and Kimberly excused herself when her phone rang. She listened to the caller and her smile quickly faded. She turned and stared at John and he knew this wasn't a happy call. She just looked at him and let her arm fall to her side dropping the phone. The room grew silent.

"That was the lawyer. She recanted everything she said and admitted she lied about the paternity." Kimberly said still looking as if fate had dealt another cruel blow.

"Baby, that's great news. What's wrong?" John lifted her chin to look at him. Kimberly turned slowly and walked away.

"He's out. He's free. He's…out. He's…" She could barely speak and he thought he'd heard her wrong. "Out. He's out." John knew instantly what she meant. Carol stood along with Torrie and Sara. Kimberly walked aimlessly around the room repeating the same two words. John couldn't get her to respond to him so he called the lawyer back. He turned and looked at his Mom.

"He escaped. They had to transfer him and he escaped." John hung up the call and grabbed his hysterical wife who was now on the verge of hyperventilating. "Dave, get Stephan up here and tell him what's happened." John said forcefully. Dave had no clue what was going on but he knew it was very serious. Mark got on the phone and called Linda Hogan. Sara and Torrie offered to take Kimberly upstairs but John refused to let her out of his sight. Stephan flew into the room with anti-anxiety pills and water. "Forget it! You are not drugging her!" John screamed at Stephan.

"Relax honey. These are for me." Stephan said as he popped the pills. John got Kimberly to relax a little and sit down. The guests all came upstairs and announced it was time to go to the arena. They walked into something they had no clue about. "If he chooses to come after her, you know he's coming here, right?"

"What's going on?" John's Dad asked the silent group.

"Fuck! What am I supposed to do?" John put his hands over his eyes and let his head fall back. He looked at Mark. "If I take her she's exposed, if I leave her here she's vulnerable…Fuck!" John was getting himself angrier and angrier. "I'll kill him myself before he gets near her."

"She'll be with a large group either way. If you leave her here, we'll stay." Sara said motioning around the room to all the females. "If you bring her, your right there and so is everyone in this room." The group nodded in agreement. Not everyone knew the situation but they could tell the severity.

"She goes." John said. "I need to pack a bag." John picked up Kimberly and took her upstairs with him. She finally seemed coherent and helped pack a backpack with the items she'd need if confronted. Everyone left to head to the arena and John and his parents took the Aviator. Kimberly rode in the middle row between Stephan and John's Dad. John and his Mom rode in the front. The Aviator had bullet–proof glass which may have seemed to border on the edge of paranoia until you experienced the events currently taking place. They arrived at the arena to find everyone in the parking lot. Mark waved to him to drive right into the arena, he had called ahead and gotten permission from Vince McMahon. When Kimberly got out she was immediately surrounded like the Secret Service surrounds the President. The group went to catering and sat down. Guards were posted at the door and would follow Kimberly where ever she went.

New Year's Revolution went off without incident and the group followed the same procedures getting her out of the building. Kimberly cried all the way home. Nobody said a word to her they just offered comfort. The next few weeks went by easily and she hadn't heard or seen anything to indicate she was being hunted. They went back to living their lives when the police called and said they'd traced him to the Florida panhandle near his parent's house. They'd soon have him back in custody. That was the last John and Kimberly had heard anything.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and those who are unknown

Chapter 17: Life Changes

John and Kimberly decided to keep a gun in the house. She had never wanted one before, but now she had John and she would never forgive herself if something happened to him. They had been keeping tabs with the police and they were on his trail but couldn't get to him. He had been to Tampa, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, St Louis, Chicago and New York. When they'd heard his path of travel, they knew he was coming. Those are the cities where Kimberly owns either a restaurant or night club. She owns a home or condo in those cities but nothing had happened to those residences. He hadn't shown up in any of the cities where John had been so they didn't think he knew about John. The police had questioned her employees and several had recognized the man in the picture. He had visited and had asked about Kimberly. All of the managers had him removed when he became irate when they wouldn't tell him where she was.

Kimberly didn't tell John she had become an expert in rifles, hand guns and semi automatic weapons after the accident. She learned after that fateful day to defend herself and fight for her life. She would never again let him get the better of her. She stepped up her workouts with her personal trainer and he noticed a new found force behind her. She seemed extremely focused and determined. John had noticed the changes with her body also, she was always toned but she was getting leaner and more muscular. He knew she was preparing for the fight of her life; he was preparing for his. He would lay down in traffic before he'd let anything happen to her. They decided to sell the house in Amesbury and the condo in Boston. They would put them on the market without advertising which was typical for high-end homes. Someone had to prequalify before they were even shown the listings. They bought an apartment in downtown Boston in a renovated historic building. It had tight security and no way to get to the elevators without getting past security teams. Several athletes lived in the building as did other celebrities.

She traveled with John a lot more and tried to balance herself between houses so she was never at the same place longer than others. She was beginning to get sick lately and they decided to slow down her travel a bit to let her body heal. She thought it was the changing weather from spring to summer. One morning she couldn't get out of bed. She felt so incredibly ill and she looked like it. John made her homemade soup and pampered her all day. He had ideas what it could be because she always felt better after she ate something. He began thinking about things and figured he must be right. He decided to ask her later when she felt better. He had been monitoring her cycles and knew when she'd physically be receptive so he had been laying on the charm during those few days so they'd make love more. He never had to try hard because all women are sexually hungry during that time. He was lying on the couch watching a movie when she came downstairs.

"Are you feeling better, baby?" He asked as she came over to him and lay on top. Kimberly shook her head and smiled. "Can I ask you something serious?" She shook her head again but kept it on his chest. "Do you think you might be pregnant?" Her head shot up and she looked at him wide-eyed.

"I never thought of that." She began trying to think when the last time she visited with 'Aunt Flow'. She couldn't remember; so much had been going on lately it could have been two weeks ago or two months ago. "Maybe that's it." She realized.

"Should we find out or wait?" He asked hoping she'd want to find out.

She smiled, "Go to the corner store right now." She told John what to get and he went running out the door. He was back in less than 10 minutes and burst into the bedroom. Kimberly had to laugh. "John, I don't have to pee yet, relax for a minute." He left and got her a bottle of water from the kitchen. He handed it to her and motioned for her to drink up! She drank all the water and they laid on the bed together watching a movie. When she felt the need to go, she grabbed the kit and went in; she had to lock the door or John would watch her. She did what was necessary and unlocked the door. He had the box and the instructions and was ready to look. "Let's just relax about it. It'll be okay if we're not, we'll just keep trying." She tried to reassure him and not get his hopes up. He kissed her passionately sliding his tongue against hers.

"If we're not, we'll try again right now." He said. She took a deep breath, handed him the stick and sat on the counter. He looked at it and the instructions to make sure he was reading correctly. "Let's go try again." He said a little sad. She could see the disappointment on his face.

She held his face in her hands. "Sometimes these things read negative and they're really positive. We can always ask a doctor." He nodded his head and held her tight. Kimberly wasn't sure how she felt. She thought she was ready to start a family with John, but in the last 20 minutes, the idea scared her. She did love trying though, she had to admit. She stood back and looked at her husband who never ceased to amaze her. He was a gorgeous man with the body of a god. He was wearing basketball shorts and a jersey and she knew he had an empty cupboard underneath. She thought about him as she stared at his body. The size of his arms and how they felt around her, his hands and how they played with her body, the way he looked at her and kissed her. The weight of him above her always made her feel not only secure but free.

"What are you thinking about?" Kimberly looked at him like a deer in the headlights. John laughed as she blushed. He knew exactly what she'd been thinking. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. His hands moved up her thighs and around to her ass and he pulled her to the edge of the counter. He brought his hands back around and kept them on her upper thighs. The kisses and the location of his hands made her body ache for him. He could always get her body stirring just with a simple kiss. She let out a small moan as their tongues flirted. Without breaking the kiss, John backed away so Kimberly stood in front of him. He guided her to the floor and lay on top of her. He pulled his right leg up pushing her thigh against her. He put his arm under her knee and placed his hand on the floor beside her. He leaned on his left elbow and his left hand was under her head. He stayed like this kissing her driving her crazy and he subtly moved his hips against her. She brought her right leg up and wrapped it around his back squeezing him against her. He broke the kiss and moved to her neck. He let her leg go and his right hand moved to her side and he rested his hand on her ribs, just under her breast. He kissed and licked a trail to her breast and he lifted her top up so he could keep kissing her. He used his left hand to pull her top off, with a little help from her. He then seized her other breast in his mouth and nipped and licked her. Kimberly started writhing under him and his mouth moved further down. As his tongue played with her belly button, he lifted her enough to remove her shorts. She dug her nails into his shoulders as he kissed her inner thighs. She almost screamed as he finally stopped teasing her and let his tongue taste her. Kimberly's eyes rolled to the back of her head as he used his fingers and mouth to make love to her. When she felt her release getting closer she pressed her hips into him and gripped his head with her hands. She cried out as her body stiffened and contracted under his touch. John stayed with her until she went limp and her thighs stopped shaking. She reached down to him and tried to pull him up to her. She frantically took his shorts and shirt off and was surprised at how skilled she'd become. He stayed in between her legs and let the tip of him play just outside the center of her. He kissed her neck as she grabbed his ass to guide him and he finally entered her and they both groaned loudly. Kimberly felt like he would rip her in half and his eyes rolled back at how tight she was. She always felt great to him. He put his weight on his left side and pulled his right leg up and her left leg up for easy access and better control. He struggled to maintain command of his senses and he tried to think of something else. She rolled her hips in circles and John groaned again.

"Oh, baby girl, you feel so good." He let go of her leg with his right hand and placed it on her hip and he guided her as he slowed the pace. She arched her back which made her hips dip low and he groaned again. John tried to think of anything but how good she made him feel. She tightened her grip on him and he felt himself losing control. She flexed and released her inner muscles driving John to the brink. He pushed harder and harder into her letting himself fall under her spell. When his body finally stopped twitching he rolled off her. They both lay next to eachother as their bodies recovered.

She looked over at him and he kissed her softly. Once he gained control of his breathing, he snuggled with her for a few minutes; they were still on the bathroom floor. His cravings got the better of him and he put his shorts back on and went downstairs for food, but not before another soft kiss. Kimberly decided to call her doctor and schedule a visit. She got an appointment for the morning and she went to the kitchen to tell John. He was making a sandwich and watching his usual god-awful cartoons. Those are the things she loves; his quirks, his idiosyncrasies, his habits. He was always making her laugh. As she was thinking of this, John was thinking about how different her body was. She feels different, she tastes different, and her boobs are more sensitive and feel tighter. She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"We'll go first thing in the morning to the doctor." Kimberly said to him.

"That was fast!" He was excited again to see if maybe the test was wrong. She had been cleared to have a baby and the doctor said everything was fine when they consulted her when they got back from the honeymoon. She told them it could take awhile and to stay stress-free. The more relaxed the woman is; the more chance she has of getting pregnant. John still pampered her for the rest of the evening and made her favorite dinner. He couldn't figure out what was so special about meatloaf and mashed potatoes, but she adored it. They could eat it every night if she had her way. Maria, the housekeeper, was on her vacation so they were left to fend for themselves for meals. He liked it when they were alone but he wouldn't trade in Maria for anything. She left John instructions on how to make meatloaf so he consulted her recipe. He was shocked at how time consuming it was and how many things you had to do.

"This is crazy, we should just order pizza." He said out loud to himself. He looked into the family room at his wife who was staring out the floor to ceiling windows of their apartment. He couldn't believe the place they lived in could be considered an apartment. It was huge! It was only them and another couple on this floor, that's how big it was. To him an apartment was maybe 1000 square feet. He went from sharing a house with three of his brothers (since he traveled he never got a place of his own) to the complete opposite. He was surprised when Kimberly had asked him to sign a prenuptial agreement. Actually, it wound up being a post nuptial agreement, but she was very fair and he didn't see anything wrong with her terms. She was surprisingly going to set him up nicely if things didn't work out. He'd get nothing and she'd clean him out if he ever cheated resulting in divorce. He'd get a nice settlement too if she cheated. He couldn't blame her for asking, she was coming into this with a hell of a lot more than he was. He'd probably do the same thing if the situation were reversed. Anyway, he got the meal started and went back to the family room. "What's on your mind?" He couldn't help but ask as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"You." She bluntly answered.

"And? Did I do something?" He knew he hadn't, but asked anyway.

"Yes, as a matter of fact you did." She replied with a bit of an attitude.

He turned her to look into her eyes. "What did I do?" He asked placing his hands on his hips.

"You did the worst thing imaginable. You made me fall in love with you." She smiled at him and hugged him.

"You lost me on why that's a bad thing!" He kissed her nose. She giggled.

"Are you sure you want a baby?" She asked getting serious. She needed reassurance because she was scared.

"Honey, if you're not ready just tell me, it's okay if you're not." He held her face in his hands.

"I asked if you were ready, not me." She replied.

"I've been ready since we first met. I want lots of babies with you, despite knowing I was a complete nightmare and I'd be asking for paybacks, I still want kids." He said softly as he looked into her eyes. She had to laugh as she remembered all the stories from his parents. He kissed her with all the love he had, caressing her tongue with his. She ran her hands all over his chest and abs, loving the way his skin felt and the way he responded to her. She moved her hands to his back stroking his shoulders and tracing his spine. She thought it earlier and she thought it now. She was the luckiest wife imaginable; she had a beautiful life and a husband who catered to her. He gave her everything she wanted whenever she wanted, but still stopped just short of spoiling her. She did the same for him only she did spoil him. She loved this body and the man that came inside this piece of art.

"Make love to me." She whined into his mouth. He had 15 minutes until the potatoes were done. He didn't have time to respond; she was already removing his shorts and had her mouth all over him. The warmth of her mouth and the gentleness of her hands had him quickly aroused and ready for her. He pulled her from him and guided her onto the coffee table. He removed her pajama pants and dove into her with his tongue. She squealed and arched her back. How did he know exactly what to do and when? It drove her mad with pleasure. It didn't take Kimberly long to reach the sky and when she did he sent chills down her spine as he entered her with one swift motion. She hadn't even relaxed from her own orgasm before he had her on the path to another. She sat up and pushed him away. She turned around onto her knees and guided him back into her. She kept her legs together and he loved when she did that. She already fit him like a glove but this just added to the feelings. She flexed her muscles and gripped him as he moved in and out, faster and faster. She rotated her hips and he reached around with his left hand to find her center. He paced himself and his hand so she'd be driven high above again. He could feel her orgasm on fast approach so he moved faster; causing his own release to happen. He held on until she squealed and he let go too. Just as he finished the timer in the kitchen sounded and he had to get back to dinner. He finished everything and they sat in front of the fireplace naked and ate the meal.

Kimberly talked more about having a baby and John knew she was scared. He did what he could to reassure her and set her mind to ease. She did the dishes after they ate and he drew her a bath. John lit the candles and put bubbles in the water. He turned on the Jacuzzi jets and had forgotten the bubbles grow rapidly when you do that. He almost had them everywhere but caught them before they spilled onto the floor. She came in and they got in together. They watched another movie and daydreamed about a family. Soon they'd know if they'd be having another or needed to keep trying.

After the bath, she was tired so she got into bed. John lay with her and she decided she wanted to watch another movie. It didn't take either one of them long to fall asleep. Kimberly woke up early and decided to try another pregnancy test. She went to the bathroom and took the test. She took a deep breath and placed the test on the bathroom counter. She brushed her teeth while she waited and John entered. He saw the test and was shocked. He hugged her and spun her around and she had a mouthful of toothpaste. He put her down and showed her the test. She finished brushing and told him she thought she'd try again since hormones were stronger in the mornings. She looked at the test and didn't want to get her hopes up. She had thought about everything and knew she wanted a family with John. Yes she was scared but John had a way of soothing her fears without saying a word. He kissed her neck and whispered, "I love you." She turned around and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"I love you." She pulled John to her and kissed him. They took a shower together and got ready for their appointment. He couldn't get the smile off his face but he also knew not to get his hopes up. She made him promise not to tell anyone until after the first trimester. He promised as she explained why. She hated telling people and getting the congratulations and then if they lost the baby having to hear those same people say they were sorry and they could always try again. They arrived at the doctor and were immediately taken inside to the exam room with the ultrasound. Kimberly changed and John paced the floor. She had to smile at how hopeful he was; it was comforting to her. The doctor came in and greeted them. They discussed a few things and then she began the sonogram. She moved it around and John kept asking questions. She explained what everything was and John was like a sponge absorbing the knowledge.

"You are now parents!" She said as she saw the baby. Both of their eyes filled with tears as she showed them the head, arms, legs and the heartbeat. "That's a great heartbeat." She turned on the speakers and the sound filled the room. John's tears fell freely as he marveled at the little life he created with the woman who kept his heart beating. "You are 11 weeks along so you're almost in your 2nd trimester. Let's figure out your due date." Kimberly had no clue when the last day of her last period was but John gave her a rough guess. "How would you like a Christmas baby?" They both smiled as she handed them the printouts of the sonogram. She wrote Kimberly a few prescriptions and John thanked her. They made her next appointment on a day when they thought he'd be free to come with her. He wanted to go to as many appointments as possible whether they were only five minutes or 30 minutes. He asked if they could tell his parents since she was at 11 weeks anyway and she said okay. But only the family, everyone else had to wait. He got as far as the car and called his Mom. Kimberly could hear her excitement and she had to laugh. He called his Dad and she called Linda and Hulk.

When they arrived at the apartment John went into overdrive. She wanted to do some work but he made her rest on the couch. When she was settled he went to the bookstore and bought every book and magazine he could on pregnancy and childbirth. He chose four name books too and was shocked at how many there were to choose from; _30,000 names_? He said to himself. _How in the hell do you narrow it down to one? How do you look through the whole book?_ He wondered if they'd find out before the baby was born if it was a boy or girl. He definitely wanted to know and didn't understand why people waited. You have a 50-50 shot. Only two choices so what's the big secret? He'd rather know so they could buy stuff ahead of time.

"First baby?" A man asked as John waited in line.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked.

"I was the same way, man. Congratulations." The man shook John's hand. When John looked at him he knew the guy recognized him. He said quietly, "John Cena, right?"

"Yes." John answered as he looked around. He was proud he was married and about to become a father, but he still had an image Vince wanted him to maintain.

"Your secret's safe with me. I love wrestling and think you're the best." The man said. John smiled hoping he wouldn't blow his cover and sell the story on the internet.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate that." John said as he walked to the next sales person to buy his pile of books and magazines. The stranger whispered to John if he could get a picture and he said that was okay but if they could step outside. The fan waited for John and they stepped outside. He took a picture with his phone and thanked John for his time. As John went to his car, the stranger took another picture of the license plates. He got into his car and followed John home. John knew from being with Kimberly to always be on the lookout and he noticed the guy was following him. He pulled into the parking garage of a building a few blocks from his own and saw the stranger park across the street. He called the police and told them what was happening. As he was talking to them he saw the guy get out of his car and come into the garage. He had to think quickly. He could leave the car there but he didn't know if the guy would do something to the car. How would he explain to Kimberly the $250,000 Christmas present she bought him was damaged or totaled? He could wait for the guy to get deep into the garage and then drive back out. He decided to drive around the garage as he continued talking to the police. He saw the stranger lurking around the cars and knew he was looking for John. John slowly drove out of the garage and waited down the block. He heard the sirens and knew the police just blew it. The guy came running out of the garage and jumped in his car. He sped right past John and turned a corner. John hung up his phone call after he told them the vehicle and direction of the stranger. He drove back to their building and wasn't worried about the car. The security was as tight in the garage as it was inside the building.

"What took you so long? Kimberly asked as he walked in the door.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I own only Kimberly and those who are unknown

Chapter 18: A First Meeting and a Reunion

John and Kimberly looked through the books and John was ready to pick out names by dinner time. She told him to make a list for both sexes while he was on the road and they'd compare when they saw eachother again. He was leaving in the morning for his next road trip and she needed to get back to work. They spent the evening in front of the fireplace and talking about what they wanted for this child. Growing up with four brothers John was hoping for a girl. He wanted a son, but for the first child he thought a daughter might be best. She agreed to find out the sex of the baby to make things easier. They could get the nursery ready and buy clothes and toys.

He didn't want to tell her who he had run into at the bookstore and the subsequent action that happened afterwards. He didn't want to scare her or bring on any stress that could harm the baby. They already had security in the building and two guards posted at the door. He did alert them to what had happened so they knew to be especially cautious. He didn't want to leave her but knew she had to get back to running her own businesses and he had a career that couldn't be better. They wouldn't see eachother for 10 days, longer if they hadn't made a pact not to be away longer than 10 days. His movie was coming out so he was doing press junkets on his days off from the ring. She would meet him in Los Angeles for the premiere in 10 days. Since he was traveling so much for the movie, he would miss a few RAW shows so he lost the belt at WrestleMania to Kurt Angle.

After dinner she went to change and get more comfortable. John cleaned up the dishes and lit some candles. He was looking through the CDs to find something romantic when she came back out. He dropped all the CDs he had in his hands and his jaw fell open. She was wearing a white silk halter baby doll with beading and silver ankle strap heels to match the beading. She also had on the tiniest pair of panties he'd ever seen. They were so small he wasn't even sure they were panties. They'd been together for 2½ years and she could still surprise him. Everyday he thought how lucky he was and how beautiful his wife was inside and out. He snapped out of it and picked a CD. He turned the music on and held out his hand to her. She crossed the room and melted in her husband's arms. They danced in the glow of the candles and the city lights of Boston reflected in their family room. He drank in her scent and the feel of her skin. He needed enough to sustain him for 10 days and he wasn't going to settle for anything less.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"For what?" She answered looking into his eyes.

"For marrying me and giving me a baby." Kimberly smiled and he bent down to kiss her. She had kissed him thousands of times but the feel of his tongue against hers still sent chills up and down her spine. Her kisses could still arouse him. They never required foreplay because they were always ready just from kissing. John wanted to make sure she had enough satisfaction to last her for 10 days. He picked her up and cradled her as they finished the dance. As the next song began he knelt down and placed her on the rug in front of the fire. He removed her heels and kissed, licked and nipped his way up her right leg lingering on her inner thigh. He let his lips brush across her center as he moved to her left leg.

Her scent was intoxicating and he had a hard time sticking to his plans. He treated the left leg with the same tenderness as he did with the right. He rolled her over and ran his hands up the backs of both legs and his thumbs touched her purposely in the center when his hands reached her ass. He lifted her enough to remove her v-string. He lifted her again so she was on her knees but her upper body was still on the floor. He slid underneath her and spread her legs and his thumbs held her open. His tongue caressed her and she sat up to get the best vantage point. She let her head fall back and her hair tickled his stomach. Watching his wife like this gave him enough excitement that her slightest touch could send him into orbit. Kimberly let herself go and when her body stopped convulsing she slid back and let her husband slide into her.

They both groaned loudly; him from the wet heat of her body, her from the package she swore reached her throat. She squeezed him tight to her and it made John's eyes roll back. She loved watching her husband respond to her. She looked in his eyes with her mouth slightly open and that look she gave him drove him to the brink of his release. When she felt him get harder, her signal he was close, she picked up her pace and squeezed as tight as she could. He grabbed her ass and lifted and lowered her to the pace he needed to last a little longer. He felt his body relax a little and he rolled her to her back. His mouth slammed against hers as he pumped into her. John pushed up from her and he rested his weight on his arms. He slowed the pace a little more and bent to kiss her again. He pulled his knees up and sat back on his heels. He lifted her hips and continued pumping into her. They both moaned noisily as John released himself inside her.

"Sandwich?" She asked him as he lay panting on the rug next to her. He pulled her to him and cuddled with her for a few minutes.

"Can I have two? And make yourself something while you're in there my treat." He kidded with her.

'You are so good to me, honey." She rolled her eyes and kissed him. They spent the remainder of their time together making love and relaxing.

His flight was first thing in the morning and Kimberly drove him to the airport. They said their goodbyes in the car because they knew he'd have no privacy in the airport. She tried not to cry because she knew John felt guilty enough. She threw herself back into work and all the distractions it provided. They talked several times a day and even tried phone sex for the first time. Before she knew it, she was on a plane to LA. John would be at the arena waiting for her and she decided to stop at the hotel first. Kimberly freshened up and headed out in her rental car. When she arrived at the arena nobody was around. _That's very odd; I normally see swarms of people._ She checked her watch again and looked around. They were definitely there because all the trucks and rental cars were outside. She cautiously walked into the backstage area and still nobody. _Maybe they've got a meeting_. She went to John's dressing room and put her things down. Kimberly ventured to catering and got a drink of water but still hadn't seen or heard from anybody. She began to panic and went back to the dressing room. She pulled a few items from her bag and was startled when the door flew open. A cameraman entered with someone behind him.

"Have you guys seen my husband anywhere?" She asked them as she zipped up her bag. She looked at the cameraman and noticed a frightened look on his face. "Why are you filming me?" She began to panic. She pushed past them and began running down the hall screaming for John. Meanwhile John was being held in the ring and he was screaming for her. The cameraman was chasing her around and she stopped suddenly when she heard her name. His face appeared on a monitor and she watched in horror. Two men had John at gunpoint and the rest of the RAW personnel were in the seats with gunmen around them also. The two men holding her husband began punching him and hit him in the head with the butt of a gun. He was laying in the ring bleeding and all she could hear were the maniacal laughs of the madman. He beckoned her to come to him and mocked her as he stood over John. The cameraman was still behind her and she noticed he was at gunpoint also.

She walked out to the ring and stopped at the top of the platform. John started screaming to her as he lay on the mat bleeding and she fought the tears and the urge to run to him. She maintained an emotionless expression and slowly walked down the ramp and to the ring. The madman taunted her and threatened John's life. She entered the ring and slowly walked around accessing the situation. Two in the ring and four around it, eight were around the others who were sitting in the front few rows. She stopped next to John and looked down at him. He was on his back with his hands tied behind his back and a gun at his head. The thugs were ordered to pick him up and they yanked him by his neck. Each one held an arm and now they both held a gun to his head.

"I have missed you so much. You are very hard to find, I thought I'd never have the chance to look into those eyes again." He got right in her face and she stood her ground. "We'll be leaving now so say goodbye to John." He turned his back to her but Kimberly didn't move from her spot. The maniac swung at her as hard as he could and struck her above the eye. She spun around and was on the mat instantly. She could feel the blood running down her face. John screamed for her and yelled obscenities at the crazy person who struck his wife. She was roughly pulled up by her hair and he ran his tongue up her cheek and licked off the blood.

Her expression still hadn't changed even though her head was pounding and she could barely see. He nodded to the two men holding John and they began punching him in the face and stomach. His bravery matched hers and he never made a sound. They stopped and she couldn't look at her husband, if she did she would crack. The madman struck her again this time cutting the other eye. Kimberly swung back cutting him with her wedding rings. She punched him in the chest and as he gasped for air she kicked him in the knee. He went down and pulled her with him. He straddled her and punched her again. "You fucking bitch!" He yelled as he wiped the blood from his face. He got up and kicked her in the stomach. John's screams only resulted in another punch to her face. He yanked her up again by her hair and shoved her into John. She clung to him as tight as she could and she began crying silently but you could see her body shaking. He leaned into her and fought his own tears. Both of their faces were bloody and she kissed him all over his face and wiped the blood from his eyes. She held him close and gained control of her emotions.

"I love you so much. I'm sorry." She wiped his face and kissed him again. She tried to untie him without anyone catching her movements and took a few steps back. She looked into his eyes with an expression that warned him she was about to do something.

"I love you with all of my heart." John replied as he subtly nodded his approval.

"When we're out of the arena, kill them all." The madman said and before anyone could react, Kimberly pulled the gun from the maniac and held it with shaking hands. He taunted her daring her to shoot him, begging her to release him from this shitty world. But he promised she'd go with him if she fired one shot. She went to John and kissed him again. She looked in his eyes and saw him change expressions; she knew exactly what to do. She turned and aimed at the maniac who had been following her for years. Her hands suddenly very steady, pulled the trigger and kept shooting even after the gun had emptied. When John snapped out of it, he tenderly lowered her arms and spoke softly to her. She fell to her knees and dropped the guns. All her emotions for the past nine years came pouring out. She screamed and yelled and cried. She went limp when John wrapped himself around her and he rocked her as she sobbed. As the past nine years came crashing through her memories she got up and went to the maniac. Kimberly screamed and yelled at him; kicked and punched him until she couldn't swing anymore. John let her go, knowing he'd do the same thing. The police finally showed up and John pulled his wife away from the dead body. Everyone was checked and the EMTs asked John and Kimberly to go to the hospital. They didn't say a word. He slid out of the ring with her and he held her close. He carried her up the ramp and out of the arena. He just kept walking.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Premiere or Not to Premiere

I disclaim

"Mr. Cena?" The doctor asked the large group outside the operating rooms. Everyone stood so he wasn't sure which one was John Cena.

"That's me." John finally answered; his face stained with tears. The doctor looked at John, his clothes still covered in blood. The doctor shook his hand as he tried to think of ways to tell the unusually large group, and by unusually large he meant size not amount of people. He introduced himself as Kimberly's surgeon as another doctor approached and stood with him. He was also introduced.

"As you know your wife was shot in the chest. She's lost a lot of blood, but surprisingly doing remarkably well. She came through the surgery with flying colors and will make a full and fast recovery barring any infections." The doctors attempted to walk away, neither wanted to be the one to tell John. They were hoping to get free and a nurse would tell him.

"So is the baby okay?" John asked hopeful. "If Kimberly is doing great so should the baby, right?" He asked looking at both doctors wanting to hear the three of them were okay. He knew he was fine, he now knew his wife was fine, he just wanted to hear his baby was fine. The doctors looked at eachother and then the floor. That was all John needed. He started sobbing for his unborn child. Sobs from the irreparable heart, immense sorrow escaping the only way it can only to be yanked back by the unforgiving memories and dreams of what might have been. The doctors stood there, they hated this. Of all the things they had to endure in their careers, telling parents they've lost their child was the worst thing. Sure he'd only known he was going to be a father for a few weeks, but that was enough to build hopes, enough to make plans. Half of the pain was his; the other half was knowing what this would do to his wife.

The police walked in with Vince McMahon during the exchange with the doctors. Shawn Michaels spoke with the police and said Kimberly was in surgery, he told them everything he knew about her past with the now dead maniac. The officers made a silent pact to make this case disappear. Shawn Michaels and Dave Batista got John to sit down and attempt to relax. Everyone silently made a pact to sit with John at the hospital and wait for word on her condition and when they could see Kimberly.

"Thank you." John whispered to Sara.

"For what? She's my best friend, John." She answered looking into his eyes.

"Just thank you." He said as he leaned back and thought of the past few years. A few tried to get John to lay down in an empty room but he wanted to be where the doctors and nurses could easily find him. He wanted to be there when she woke up or at least the first to see her. Linda and Hulk had been called and were on their way.

Kimberly lay in the recovery room and told the nurse she didn't want to see anyone, not yet anyway. She wanted to just lay there before she started hearing all the 'I'm sorrys' and the 'You can try agains'. Nobody told her the results but moms know these things; it was instinctual. She also didn't want to hear the words. She didn't want to know she lost another child to the same fucking maniac. She knew he had been riddled with bullets but he was like a cockroach; hard to kill. _He better be dead_ she thought to herself. The police bullied their way into the room and told Kimberly they had a few questions. _Assholes_. She told them everything from beginning to end and who they could talk to with the FBI. She was surprised at how kind they were, not rigid like she expected. They were in and out in 10 minutes.

She let her thoughts drift back to two weeks ago with John. They were so excited to have a baby. She knew people were right, they could try again. She knew this wasn't like losing a child you had spent time with, but it's still a loss. She didn't want to hear anything that people thought was helpful. John was so excited; she wasn't sure how she'd tell him. Maybe he already knew. Tears began to fall at the idea of John's devastation. He'd be heartbroken and intensely angry. Her doctors came in and reviewed her condition with her. They knew by the look on her face she had figured it out so they didn't say anything. In their own way they told her she was fine to have more children and this had no permanent effect on her. She was happy to hear this and knew John would be too. Kimberly asked the nurse if John was waiting and the nurse said from what she understood he was pacing the halls waiting to see her. The nurse also revealed John was told of the loss. She told the nurse to only let John in the room for now and the nurse obliged.

A few minutes later a huge bouquet of flowers walked in followed by the most handsome man she'd ever seen; the best husband and one day the greatest father. She looked at him in his casual self-promoting t-shirt and jeans, he had really changed since meeting her and she never asked him too. He still wore shorts in the middle of winter but she had stock piled his closet with suits and shirts other than t-shirts and he finally he relented to her styling. It was a mandatory rule Vince had that all public personnel travel in suits, but everyone knew how John was with suits so Kimberly bought him button downs that he felt comfortable in without changing who he was. John kissed her slowly not wanting to break from her. This was all she needed and she started crying, the gentle cries turned to the sobs of a devastated mother; a guttural sob from deep within trying to express immeasurable anguish. He sat on the bed with her and held her as tight as he could without hurting her. His own tears fell again but he was all sobbed out. He didn't want her to see that side, not today. Both hearts were now broken.

"I love you baby girl." He said quietly. "I love you so much." Kimberly clung to him as if he could erase everything; make the past eight hours disappear. He would do it too if he had the power. He would do anything for this woman and hoped she knew. John got into bed beside her and they just lay there in silence. When she reigned in her emotions, she asked John about everyone else and if anyone had been hurt. He reassured her nobody even had a scratch. He also warned her this would probably be their only quiet time for awhile since it would be all over the news in the morning and they'd be bombarded by the media. John told her there was a waiting room filled with people wanting to see her and make sure she was okay. She agreed to see everyone and just wanted to get it over with but needed a few moments with her husband. He gladly obliged.

When they went home she wanted no visitors and peace and quiet. Maria her housekeeper and Stephan sent flowers and said they'd see her when she went back to Boston. She knew she'd have to see his family and Hulk and Linda were her family, but Kimberly just wanted a fresh start. Focus on her life with John and getting things back to as normal as possible.

The doctors came in and checked on her and passed instructions to John. Their friends started filing in and luckily they all only stayed a few minutes each. Mark and Sara, Billy and Torrie and Dave and Angie would be back in the morning before they flew out. John's parents were on the first flight in the morning and John was giving them their hotel room. As soon as she was able to fly, Kimberly was going back to Boston away from this city that now held painful memories. She fell asleep with John and they stayed tightly together for the night.

A few days later and a few visitors more, Kimberly was able to fly home. Knowing John couldn't get through the airports without being bombarded by fans; Linda stayed behind and helped John fly her home. Now that the media was all over it his personal life was known by everyone. The fans did nothing but show their support for John and Kimberly and a few saw them at the airport and gave Kimberly flowers. Nobody asked for an autograph or picture. The three of them flew back to Boston and John had two days before he had to report back. They would see how Kimberly was doing before making any decisions about when Linda would leave. They had Stephan and Maria too for any assistance needed.

The four of them got Kimberly settled upstairs in the apartment and sat down in the family room to talk. He confessed this was the hardest thing he's ever experienced. He lost his first child and his wife was shot in the chest. He told them what had happened from the time the maniac arrived to the end. He walked out of the arena and into the parking lot not even acknowledging the fans gathered outside. Kimberly was wearing black so he didn't see the blood. When he felt the wetness against his own clothes he looked down. "She looked at me with so much fear and her face was growing pale. She asked me to promise not to let her die. I almost killed my wife; I didn't even know he shot her." John started crying for the umpteenth time in the past few days.

Everyone knew he'd find Kimberly eventually it was only a matter of time. John just wished he could have been in the line of fire; why did this cost them their child? What lesson in life were they supposed to learn from this? What had Kimberly ever done to deserve a life of running and hiding for the past eight years? Linda had no words of wisdom she just listened. These were the same thoughts she'd had since she met Kimberly. Why does such a wonderful creature that brings nothing but joy and laughter to those around her have to live always looking behind her? Its one of those situations that makes someone question God and his motives. "How do I fix this? How do I fix her? How do I ask her to try again for a family without saying lets try again? How do I look into her eyes that are swollen from crying and offer hope? Whenever she's in pain, I'm in pain. Whenever she's happy, I'm happy. But how do I try and be brave for her and support her and be the light at the end of the tunnel when my own heart is broken?" He looked imploringly at Linda.

"When the time is right for another child, you'll know and so will she. Instead of trying to be the rock for her, grieve with her. Just because you weren't carrying the baby doesn't mean you don't feel the same sense of loss. You can be strong for eachother and you can be crying parents. So much focus is always placed on the mother and people overlook the heartbreak of the father. Show her you're hurting too. Gain strength from one another and heal as a team. Heal as one unit." Linda said softly trying to get the point across. The room fell silent and they all looked at the stairs when they heard a distant sniffle. John was instantly on his feet and climbing the stairs. He sat by Kimberly and they held eachother.

"Linda's right. It's hard to remember there are two of us grieving." She said to her husband looking into his swollen eyes. "I don't want to be alone anymore. I don't want to think of the 'what ifs' anymore." She pleaded with her eyes. John knew all she was doing was sitting in bed and thinking of what happened. He nodded his head and helped her downstairs and to the couch. They had one guest room downstairs and Kimberly decided she didn't want to be in their bedroom anymore, she wanted to sleep downstairs. It would be easier for her when she wanted to be in the kitchen or family room since the steps winded her right now. John brought down a few outfits and her shower things so she didn't have to go back upstairs. She lay on the couch and the small group sat in silence. John sat with her head in his lap and he stroked her head; he gazed at her and marveled at her strength. Stephan being the subtle one of the group asked about another child. Everyone glared at him except Kimberly, she knew he meant well.

"Yes, I would love to have another child, but it's not something I'll use to replace the one we just lost. When the time is right, it'll happen." She said, indirectly offering her husband hope. He wanted to have a family with her but if she said never again he would be fine with that also. As long as he had her, his life was blessed and if they had children they'd be a bonus to an already fabulous life.

After several weeks of recovery, Kimberly was cleared to begin exercising and trying for another baby. She and John agreed to not prevent but not to aim for it. They would let things happen naturally and would have fun trying too.

Kimberly met with her lawyers and made arrangements to sell most of her homes and cars, all the clubs and half the restaurants. She wanted minimal exposure to the outside world. She would continue to support the boutiques and open more stores, she would never sell those. She had enough money to provide for her children and grandchildren; none would ever have to work. Kimberly had a choice to stop working and join John on the road or keep working. She had to think of John and their future in the event something happened to him and he could no longer work. She would still employ Stephan and Maria; that would never change. She decided to slow the workload and travel with John as much as she could.

Kimberly threw herself into her workout routine and hired a personal trainer to come to the house every morning. When she was given the okay to travel, it was during a Raw show in Phoenix. After the show everyone was free until Friday when they had a house show in San Diego. John was going to surprise Kimberly with a week at the spa. Several other couples were joining them for the week and celebration of Kimberly's birthday while they were there. They would remain in Phoenix until Friday morning and would drive to San Diego. She flew into Phoenix on Sunday and he met her at the airport. He surprised her with the spa week and she loved the idea.

When they arrived she was greeted by Hulk, Linda, Mark, Sara, Billy, Torrie, Shawn, Rebecca and Dave and Angie, the usual group. They were joined a few days later by Adam and Amy and Paul and Steph, even a few of the single guys and girls came to rest and celebrate. It was exactly what John and Kimberly needed. Everyone relaxed and had a great time together. She was surprised when a few others arrived on Thursday for just one night. It appeared to be a reunion of sorts of the RAW and Smackdown rosters.

Nobody talked about what had happened to all of them but each and every person had a new found respect for Kimberly. They already thought the world of her but they now knew her background and saw that inner strength and pride that drove her daily life. The girls appeared to be almost motherly toward her and the men began to mimic John in their protection. Whenever they went anywhere as a group, they naturally surrounded her and watched the rooms. Sure the maniac was pronounced dead at the gruesome scene a few months ago, but it still haunted them all.


End file.
